Whether a small county church or an elaborate cathedral the church bells are ringing as a call to worship or just a simple reminder of the time of day.
Oldest Catholic Church in the Country
A Cathedral Through Time
From chapel to cathedral the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine started as a small church.
Well over 200 years have passed since the Cathedral Basilica was established in St. Augustine.
The oldest church in the state is home to the oldest Catholic parish in the United States.
They met from 1572 until 1702 in a chapel, on St. George Street, south of what today is known as the Plaza de la Constitucion.
Through the years a hospital was added, the chapel was enlarged, and coquina replaced the wooden structure. During the British Period in Florida the Catholic Church was converted into an Anglican Church.
In 1793 the cornerstone was laid, and the Roman Catholic Church was completed in 1797, north of the Plaza de la Constitucion. In 1870 it was upgraded to a Cathedral.
The St. Augustine fire of 1887 left only the façade and a portion of the exterior walls of the church. The Cathedral was rebuilt with the addition of a 6-story bell tower and the church was extended 12 feet beyond the original north wall. Henry Flagler contributed to its restoration.
For its historical, spiritual, and architectural significance, it was raised it to the status of a minor Basilica, by Pope Paul VI in 1976.
Today the church is restored to look as it did in the late 1700’s. This beautiful Cathedral with 18th Century Spanish Architecture and a 19th Century bell tower still stands today as a monument to the dedication and perseverance of our forefathers. The twin Doric columns on either side of the arch entrance welcome parishioners and visitors. Tours are offered, mass is celebrated, and a Cathedral gift shop offers religious as well as other items.
i am a little church (no great cathedral) far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities
E. E. Cummings
When I came across this E. E. Cummings poem copied into my Creative Writing notebook from High School, it reminded me of the beauty created by those hoping to show thanks to our creator.
Although E. E. Cummings used all lower-case letters in his poem, the use of a lower case or upper-case c when writing about churches in my book Historic Florida Churches is used to designate a noun or a verb. The lower case (noun) connotes the physical building, and an upper-case c (verb) refers to the group of worshippers and the official name of a church or denomination.
Examples:
I am going to church today at the First Presbyterian Church.
The First Baptist Church is a beautiful church.
WORDS TO KNOW
Mission: A non-self-supporting congregation.
Parish: A self-supporting congregation.
Church: A place of worship where there is a permanent congregation but may refer to the actual building.
Chapel: Usually a smaller place of worship, freestanding or attached to a large church or other institution.
Cathedral: The main church of the diocese run by a bishop.
Minor Basilica: Awarded this status by the pope, usually due to historical or spiritual significance.
Major Basilicas are all in Rome.
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