St. Mary Cathedral Basilica (Galveston, Texas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary Cathedral Basilica |
|
|---|---|
St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in 2023
|
|
 St. Mary Cathedral Basilica
Location in Texas
St. Mary Cathedral Basilica
Location in the United States
|
|
| 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 an important Catholic church located in Galveston, Texas. It serves as the main cathedral for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. A cathedral is the main church of a bishop's area, called a diocese. St. Mary's is also known as the "mother church" for all Catholics in Texas. This means it was the first important Catholic church in the state.
It is also a minor basilica, which is a special title given by the Pope to churches that are very important for their history or religious significance. Along with another church in Houston, St. Mary's serves over 1.5 million Catholics in its area.
Contents
History of St. Mary Cathedral
Early Beginnings in Texas
In 1840, a leader named Rev. John Timon chose Father John Odin to be in charge of the Catholic Church in Texas. Father Odin traveled from New Orleans and arrived in Galveston in early 1841. He found many Catholics there who really wanted to build a church.
Over the next few months, Father Odin worked hard to get enough money. He wanted to start building a wooden church. He got help from two important people in Galveston: Colonel Michel Branamour Menard and Dr. Nicholas Labadie. Colonel Menard was even one of the people who helped start the city of Galveston.
Building the First Church
On February 6, 1842, the wooden church was finished. Father Odin dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This small, rectangular building was about 22 feet (6.7 meters) long. Father Odin, who was now a bishop, also bought a small house to live in. He added a small room to the church for priests to get ready, and he bought 30 benches for people to sit on.
A New, Bigger Church is Built
In 1845, Bishop Odin bought 500,000 bricks from Belgium. These bricks were shipped to Galveston. He planned to use them to build a much bigger and stronger church. The small wooden church was moved out of the way. Work on the new St. Mary's began in 1847.
The first stone of the new church was laid on Sunday, March 14. Father Timon came to Galveston for this special event. He gave a speech to a large crowd. On May 4, 1847, Pope Pius IX officially created the Diocese of Galveston. He named Odin as its first bishop.
Dedication and Survival
On November 26, 1848, the new cathedral was ready. Father John Timon was again the main speaker. He was chosen because he had helped start the church in Texas.
This cathedral is special because it was one of the few buildings in Galveston that was not badly damaged by the terrible 1900 Galveston hurricane. It survived with only a little damage.
Changes and Special Honors
The city of Houston grew very big. So, in 1959, the bishop asked for the church area to be renamed the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. This meant Houston also became an important city for the church. A church in Houston was named a "co-cathedral." But this did not change St. Mary Cathedral's special place.
Since St. Mary Cathedral was the very first Catholic cathedral in Texas, it is known as the "mother church" for all Catholic churches in the state.
In 1968, St. Mary Cathedral was named a Texas state historic landmark. In 1973, it became a national historic landmark. In 1979, Pope John Paul II gave St. Mary Cathedral the special title of a minor basilica. This was to honor its importance to the community and its history in Texas.
The Basilica Today
Repairing Hurricane Damage
In 2008, Hurricane Ike caused a lot of water damage to the cathedral basilica. It had to be closed for repairs. It finally reopened for Easter in 2014.
In 2009, a special person was put in charge of fixing the cathedral. By July 2012, many repairs were done. The roof was replaced, and the wooden benches (pews) were fixed. Steel supports were added to the two front tall towers (spires). The confessionals and Stations of the Cross were also repaired. Outside, the brickwork was fixed and protected. A new concrete base was built to support the floor. Before, the floor was held up by the original wooden beams from 1847.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de Santa María (Galveston) para niños
