St. Joseph's Proto-Cathedral - Bardstown, KY
N 37° 48.627 W 085° 28.286
16S E 634552 N 4185884
Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral, built 1816-1819 in Bardstown, KY
Waymark Code: WM19ZW9
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 05/22/2024
Views: 1
According to the American Guide Series book on Kentucky,
Kentucky, A Guide to the Bluegrass State, 1939, pp. 381-382:
"Construction of ST. JOSEPH'S PROTO-CATHEDRAL (R) was begun in 1816, the building was dedicated by Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget in 1819. The building is a notable example of church architecture of its period. The woodwork and structural timbers, including the six massive poplar columns of the broad pedimented Ionic portico, were taken from the near-by forest; a local limestone quarry and a clay bank supplied the stone and material for the brick; the nails and hardware were wrought by local blacksmiths. The simple Greco-Roman design of the building, with its classic facade and lofty clock, and bell tower and spire, was the work of John Rogers, who moved from Baltimore to Bardstown to superintend the construction. Within the cathedral are many paintings said to have been obtained by Bishop Flaget and his assistants, Fathers Badin and Nerinckx, from the sacked churches of Belgium and France during the Napoleonic era. Among them is the
Flaying of St. Bartholemew, of the Rubens school;
Winged St. Mark, St. John the Baptist, and
St. Peter in Chains believed to be by Van Dyck (1599-1641); a
Descent of the Ghost and
Annunciation are ascribed to Van Eyck; a
Crucifixion to Van Bree, and a
Crowning of the Blessed Virgin to Murillo (1617-82). Local tradition credits many of the rich interior furnishings, including the altar pieces and paintings, as well as the sweet-toned bell, to the generosity of Louis Philippe, King of France from 1830-1848, and to other royal donors. In 1841 the seat of the Roman Catholic see was moved from Bardstown to Louisville, and this church was thenceforth known as the Proto (Gr.,
first) Cathedral."
Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral is still an active parish. The church was given the title of Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
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