St. Mary Cathedral Basilica (Galveston, Texas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary Cathedral Basilica |
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St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in 2023
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 St. Mary Cathedral Basilica
Location in Texas
St. Mary Cathedral Basilica
Location in the United States
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| 29°18′15″N 94°47′25″W / 29.30417°N 94.79028°W | |
| Location | 2011 Church St. Galveston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral - Minor Basilica |
| Dedication | Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Consecrated | November 26, 1848 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Theodore Eugene Giraud, with later addition by Nicholas J. Clayton |
| Architectural type | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1843 |
| Completed | 1847 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 400+ |
| Length | 40 meters (130 ft) |
| Width | 23 meters (75 ft) |
| Other dimensions | 1 acre (0.40 ha) (grounds area) |
| Number of spires | Three |
| Spire height | 24.3 meters (80 ft) |
| Materials | Imported Belgian brick and mortar |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Holy Family |
| Archdiocese | Galveston-Houston |
St. Mary Cathedral Basilica is a historic Catholic church in Galveston, Texas. It is a very important church for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, which serves over 1.5 million Catholics.
The church holds two special titles. It is a cathedral, which is the main church of a region called a diocese. It is also a minor basilica, an honor given by the Pope to churches of great historical importance. Because it was the first Catholic cathedral in Texas, it is known as the mother church for all of Texas.
Contents
The Story of St. Mary's
The history of St. Mary's began when Texas was still a young republic. The Catholic community in Galveston worked hard to build a place of their own to worship.
Building the First Church
In 1841, a priest named Jean-Marie Odin arrived in Galveston. He found a small group of Catholics who wanted to build a church. With help from important city founders like Colonel Michel Branamour Menard, Father Odin raised enough money to build a simple wooden church.
On February 6, 1842, the small church was officially dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The building was a small rectangle, about 22 feet (6.7 m) long. Father Odin also bought a small house nearby to live in and added thirty benches for the churchgoers.
A Bigger Dream Takes Shape
Father Odin dreamed of building a larger, more permanent church. In 1845, he bought 500,000 bricks from Belgium. The bricks were used as heavy cargo, called ballast, to keep the ships stable on their journey to Galveston.
To make room for the new building, the small wooden church was moved into the street. Construction on the new St. Mary's began in 1847. On March 14, a special ceremony was held to lay the cornerstone, which is the first stone set in a building's foundation.
Just a few months later, on May 4, 1847, Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Galveston, and Odin became its first bishop. The new cathedral was completed and dedicated on November 26, 1848.
Surviving the Great Storm
The cathedral is famous for surviving the 1900 Galveston hurricane, one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. While the storm destroyed much of the city, the strong brick cathedral suffered only minor damage. This made it a symbol of hope and strength for the people of Galveston.
A Modern Landmark
Over the years, the city of Houston grew much larger than Galveston. In 1959, the church leadership decided to create the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. This meant that Sacred Heart Church in Houston became a "co-cathedral," sharing the title with St. Mary's. However, St. Mary's kept its status as the original mother church of Texas.
In recognition of its history, St. Mary's was named a Texas state historic landmark in 1968 and a national historic landmark in 1973. In 1979, Pope John Paul II honored the church by naming it a minor basilica.
Repairs After Hurricane Ike
In 2008, Hurricane Ike caused major flood damage to the basilica, and it had to be closed for a long time. A large restoration project began to save the historic building.
By 2012, workers had replaced the roof, rebuilt the pews, and strengthened the two front spires with steel. They also repaired the building's brick exterior. The basilica finally reopened to the public on Easter of 2014, beautifully restored for future generations.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de Santa María (Galveston) para niños
