Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine is the oldest parish of a permanent European settlement on the North American continent north of Mexico. On August 28, 1565, Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés first sighted land along the east coast of Florida. It was the feast day of St. Augustine of Hippo. Menéndez decided to give that saint’s name to his first settlement. He continued sailing north along the coast, eventually coming to rest in September. While some members of Menéndez’s party landed on September 6, 1565, Menéndez himself did not land until September 8, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. History records only one of the names of the four priests, Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales and it is Father Lopez who began Mission Nombre de Dios, where Mass and pastoral services have been offered every year since its founding.

Soon after, a church was established and administered as a regular parish of the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba. According to archaeological evidence from other mission sites in Florida, the church at St. Augustine was probably 50-by-100 feet, made of pine posts and thatched with express fronds. But in 1586, the church was razed and burned in the infamous raids of Sir Francis Drake. Through it all, Spanish Catholics held Mass in the Presidio, the local hospital, and the homes of Catholics.

The construction of Castillo de San Marcos, a stone fortress, began in 1672. It’s completion in 1696 allowed the town to survive a siege by Carolina Governor James Moore, who attacked and burned St. Augustine in 1702. Again, the parish church was destroyed and again Mass was celebrated in the local hospital until 1763, when Florida was ceded to Great Britain as part of the First Treaty of Paris concluding the French and Indian War.

Experiencing the challenges of cession and retrocession to England, a firm pastoral presence was not established until 1784, when the church took over the old “Bishop’s House” property which is now Trinity Episcopal Church.

In 1787, the small church was placed under the Diocese of St. Christopher of Havana. And by 1788, according to Bishop Cyril of Barcelona, “the Church of St. Augustine was progressing very satisfactorily” under the guidance of Irish priests, Fathers Thomas Hassett and Michael O’Reilly.

Despite the progress, in 1786, the Spanish crown ordered the construction of a new parish church for St. Augustine. The cornerstone was laid in 1793 and the church was completed and dedicated in August 1797

On April 2, 1887, the Moorish building was burned in a great fire, but thanks to the earnest work of many parishioners, the church was enlarged and reopened in 1888. In addition, the bell tower was built, making the Cathedral a grand sight to behold.

Architecturally, the church remained virtually intact up to the major renovation in 1965. At that time, Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley commissioned the building of a Eucharistic Chapel, the hanging of murals depicting the Catholic history of Florida by artist Hugo Ohlms, and the fashioning of a new tabernacle by the Gunning Company of Dublin, Ireland. Linking the building with the special care given it by its 18th-century Irish pastors, the newly renovated Cathedral was dedicated on March 9, 1966 by Cardinal William Conway, the primary cardinal of all Ireland.

On December 4, 1976, Pope Paul VI raised the edifice to the dignity of a Minor Basilica. It was the 27th American church to be honored as such by the Holy See. As a testament to its historic national significance, the Cathedral-Basilica was named a National Historic Landmark.

More than 1,260 families are registered at the parish of the Cathedral Basilica. The parish provides many ministries and services including its Cathedral Parish School, established in 1916, where about 365 students are enrolled. Father Thomas Willis is pastor.

For more information on the Cathedral-Basilica, please take some time to browse their website at www.thefirstparish.org

Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
38 Cathedral Place
St. Augustine, FL 32084