Tag Archives: St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral

St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral Designated a Basilica

St. Patrick's Old Cathedral
St. Patrick's Old Cathedral (Photo: oldcathedral.org)

St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in Lower Manhattan has the distinction of being the Big Apple’s first Roman Catholic cathedral and the 200-year-old church was just given a status upgrade! It has been designated a basilica, reports The Associated Press. Archbishop Timothy Dolan “christened” the church with basilica status on Sunday; Pope Benedict XVI approved the designation.

The church, which was erected between 1809 and 1815, was the seat of the Archdiocese of New York until the larger (and more famous) St. Patrick’s cathedral was established in midtown. The church has a rich, storied history of sheltering orphans and providing a ministry to immigrants. In case you are wondering, a basilica has a ceremonial privilege and is recognizes as honorific for its works.

Does this church’s new status as a ‘basilica’ make you want to visit and attend mass there?