Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral (Los Angeles) facts for kids

Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral is a special church in Los Angeles, California. It is a Maronite Catholic cathedral. A cathedral is the main church for a bishop. This church is one of two main churches for the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles. The other is St. Raymond Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri.

History of the Cathedral

Early Beginnings in Los Angeles

In 1923, a religious leader named Monsignor Joseph Daher brought Maronite Catholics together. They formed a church group called Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon. A "Monsignor" is a special title given to some Catholic priests.

At first, they held church services in a house. This house was on Warren and Brooklyn Avenues. The church group bought the house for their meetings.

Building the First Church

In 1926, Father Paul Meouchi became the new leader of the church. A "Father" is a common title for a Catholic priest. He helped build a new church building, a hall, and a rectory on the property. A rectory is where the priests live.

Father Meouchi later became a very important leader. In 1934, he was chosen to be a Maronite bishop in a place called Tyre. Later, he became the head of the entire Maronite Church. He was also made a Cardinal, which is a high rank in the Catholic Church.

Moving to a New Location

Father John Chedid became the church leader in 1956. By the 1960s, the church needed a bigger building. On August 2, 1966, the church group decided to accept an offer. They would move into the St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church building.

This building was near Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Cardinal James Francis McIntyre of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles offered it to them. An "Archdiocese" is a large area managed by a high-ranking bishop called an Archbishop or Cardinal.

In 1969, a new church hall was finished at the new location. Father Chedid also received special titles. He became a Monsignor in 1969 and a Maronite Chorbishop in 1978. A "Chorbishop" is a special kind of priest in Eastern Catholic churches.

Becoming a Cathedral

In 1980, Father Chedid became an Auxiliary Bishop. This means he helped the main bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. An "Eparchy" is like a diocese in the Eastern Catholic Church. It's a region managed by a bishop.

On June 23, 1994, Pope John Paul II created the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles. The Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church. Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter was chosen to be its main church, or cathedral. Bishop Chedid was then appointed as the bishop of this new eparchy.

Fire and Renovation

On January 6, 1996, the cathedral was damaged by a fire. After the fire, the church was repaired and made new again. During this time, a new building was also added. This new building is called the Chancery building. A "Chancery" is the administrative office for a diocese or eparchy.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Monte Líbano y San Pedro (Los Ángeles) para niños

• List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
• List of cathedrals in the United States