St. Raymond Maronite Cathedral (St. Louis, Missouri) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Raymond's Cathedral |
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 Location in Missouri
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| 38°37′3.91″N 90°11′56.81″W / 38.6177528°N 90.1991139°W | |
| Location | 931 Lebanon Dr. St. Louis, Missouri |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Byzantine Revival |
| Completed | 1975 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles |
St. Raymond's Cathedral is an important Maronite Catholic church in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It is one of the two main churches (called a co-cathedral) for the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles. The other main church is in Los Angeles.
Contents
History of St. Raymond's
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In the late 1800s, many families from Lebanon and Syria came to live in St. Louis. They settled near the Mississippi River. In 1898, these immigrants started their own church community. It was called St. Anthony the Hermit Parish. Father George Emmanuel, a monk, was their first priest.
Founding the Church
A group of immigrants from Hadchit, Lebanon, found a place for a new church. They bought land from the J.G. Choteau estate. This is how St. Raymond's Church began in 1911. The next year, Father Joseph Karam came from Hadchit to be the first pastor.
Building and Growth
Over the years, the church community grew. A parish hall was built in 1951. This hall gave the community a place for meetings and events. The church building you see today was finished in 1975.
Important Events and Leaders
In 2000, Father Robert Shaheen became a bishop. He had served at St. Raymond's since 1967. The next year, St. Raymond's was named a co-cathedral. This means it shares the main church duties with another cathedral.
A new pastoral center was completed in 2002. This building became the main office for the Eparchy. In 2007, a special shrine was dedicated to Our Lady of St. Louis. The Maronite Heritage Institute opened in 2011. It helps people learn about Maronite history and culture.
A Special Ordination
On February 27, 2014, something special happened at St. Raymond Cathedral. Rev. Wissam Akiki became a priest. Bishop Elias Zaidan led the ceremony. Pope Francis approved this ordination. It was important because Akiki was the first married Maronite priest to be ordained in the United States in almost 100 years.
See also
