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 Basilica of St. Louis, King of France - St. Louis, Missouri Posted by:  BruceS
N 38° 37.430 W 090° 11.244
15S E 744854 N 4278787
Known locally as the "Old Cathedral," Basilica of St. Louis, King of France is located in the downtown area of St. Louis near the Arch.
Waymark Code: WM2Z1H
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 01/13/2008
Views: 83
From Missouri - A Guide to the "Show Me" State - St. Louis
section:
The OLD CATHEDRAL OF ST. LOUIS OF FRANCE, N. side of Walnut St. between Second
and Third Sts., is a yellowed limestone Greek-Revival structure, with a
four-columned Doric portico relieving the severity of the south facade. n raised
gold letters on the cornice is the Latin inscription: In Honorem S. Ludovici Deo
Uni Et Trino --Dictatum A.D. MDCCCXXIV. Plaques on either side of the
center portico bear the legend, in French and English, "My House Shall Be Called
the House Prayer." Three plaques behind the portico repeat in English,
Latin, and French: "Behold the Tabernacle of God With Men and He Will Dwell With
Them. Apoc, 24." The land has been church property since St. Louis was
established. On this site, the first Mass was celebrated in 1764, and the
first church, a log one was built six years later. The present church,
built in 1831-34 under the direction of Joseph Rosati, first Bishop of St.
Louis, is the fourth to occupy the site. The building is of peculiar
religious significance, Pope Gregory XVI, a classmate of Bishop Rosati, granted
tis church an indulgence usually obtained only by pilgrims visiting the seven
Roman Basilicas; by special indult it may be gained by visiting the three altars
here. No other church or cathedral in America is so privileged.
Three very old paining said to have been given the church by Louis XVIII are in
the church: The Madonna, Saint Bartholomew, and St. Louis of France. In
the sanctuary is a bell cast in 1772, the gift of Benito Vasquez, a Spanish
soldier and landholder. Two hundred Spanish silver dollars were melted and cast
with other metal to sweeten the tone. The bell was formally baptized in
1774, and given the name Pierre Joseph Félicité, for its godparents Pierre
Joseph (the Spanish Lieutenant Governor) and Félicité de Piernas. The
edifice is now known as The Church of St. Louis of France, the title of
"Cathedral" having passed from it October 18, 1914, when the new St. Louis
Cathedral was consecrated.
This building remained a parish church but was and is referred to as the "Old
Cathedral". The area around the Old Cathedral has changed significantly
since the guide was written. The area had fallen in to decay and
beginning in the 1930's a 40 block area was torn down and converted into a park
becoming the Jefferson Expansion National Memorial. The only
buildings which remained after the demolition were the Old Cathedral and the Old
Courthouse, which along with the Gateway Arch make up the Memorial.
On January 27, 1961, Pope John XXIII signed a Decree naming the former
Cathedral of St. Louis, a Basilica, recognizing it as "a treasure of the
universal church". The Basilica has a regular mass schedule and also has a
museum highlighting the history of the "Old Cathedral" and its role in the
history of St. Louis
Book: Missouri
Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 311-312
Year Originally Published: 1941
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