Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

History & Construction

The idea of a new cathedral for St. Louis goes back to 1871 under Archbishop Peter Kenrick. The project finally took off in the early twentieth century under Archbishop John J. Glennon, whose design competition was won in 1906 by George D. Barnett (Barnett, Haynes & Barnett), whose Neo-Byzantine / Romanesque Revival plan (with its great dome inspired by Hagia Sophia) survives to this day. Ground was broken May 1, 1907; the cornerstone was laid October 18, 1908; the first Mass was offered October 18, 1914; and consecration came on June 29, 1926 — the centennial of the founding of the Diocese of Saint Louis — before a crowd of more than 100,000 along Lindell Boulevard.

Mosaics: The Largest Collection in the Western Hemisphere

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis is famous above all for its mosaics: roughly 41.5 million glass tesserae in more than 7,000 colors covering 83,000 square feet, completed in 1988. Side chapels and sanctuary walls were designed and installed by Tiffany Studios; the great expanses were designed by Professor August Oetken and executed by Ravenna Mosaic Company (the American successor to the German firm August Wagner), with Hildreth Meiere, Emil Frei, Inc., and especially the father–son team Paul and Arno Heuduck, who devoted much of their working lives to the building. The main dome, designed by Jan Henryk de Rosen, depicts Old and New Testament scenes; the rear dome commemorates significant archdiocesan events; the narthex portrays the life of Saint Louis IX.

• Arch of the Last Judgment (1962) and the Central Dome (1965) — Jan Henryk de Rosen
• Dome of the Apostles (1957) and rose-window mosaics — Hildreth Meiere
• Arch of Triumph, Arch of Creation, Doctors of the Church pendentives — Paul Heuduck
• Blessed Sacrament Chapel mosaics — installed by Gorham Company, 1916–1917
• Final mosaic areas (east and west transepts) — completed 1988

Architecture & Notable Features

The Cathedral is 365 feet long by 204 feet wide, with a main dome reaching about 220 feet. The exterior is granite (the subject of a major seven-year renovation overseen by Joseph Murphy to correct moisture damage), and the interior is sheathed in marble, onyx, and silver filigree. Defining features include the white marble High Altar under a silver baldachino on onyx columns; the Blessed Sacrament Chapel with World's Fair gates; the Blessed Virgin and All Saints chapels; the stained-glass windows on the balcony level by Robert Frei; and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Shrine in the west transept (2007).

• Capacity: ~2,500 floor seating / 5,000 with galleries
• Architect: Barnett, Haynes & Barnett (George D. Barnett, lead)
• Sacristy architect (post-1914): George John Magualo, Magualo & Quick
• Later designated architects: Joseph Murphy (exterior renovation, Our Lady of Perpetual Help shrine); Verner Burks, Jr. (organ reinstallation, Mosaic Museum structure, completion mosaics)

Ministries & Organizations

Parish ministries span every age and stage of life. The Men of the Cathedral gather monthly for Adoration and Dinner; Women of the Cathedral meet monthly for Adoration and fellowship in Boland Hall; Anima Christi serves young adults in their 20s and 30s. The Legion of Mary carries out parish visitation and outreach, the St. Vincent de Paul conference ministers to those in need, and the Gardening Angels maintain the cathedral grounds. The cathedral also depends on a large corps of volunteer docents to welcome its roughly 275,000 annual visitors and run the Gift Shop and Mosaic Museum.

• Men of the Cathedral — 4th Tuesday; Msgr. Henry Breier, 314-373-8206
• Women of the Cathedral — 3rd Wednesday; Msgr. Greg Mikesch, 314-373-8207
• Anima Christi — young adults (20s/30s)
• Legion of Mary — shut-in visits, evangelization outreach
• St. Vincent de Paul — charitable outreach
• Tours & Hospitality / Docents
• Gardening Angels — grounds care
• Liturgical ministries: altar servers, lectors, EMHCs, sacred music

Music & Sacred Concerts

Music is integral to worship at the Cathedral Basilica. The music program is directed by Andrew Kreigh (Director of Sacred Music), with Benton Blasingame as Associate Organist. The building's original Kilgen organ, long used in the church, is now displayed in the Mosaic Museum. Scott Kennebeck directs the Cathedral Concerts series, which brings sacred and orchestral music into the cathedral's extraordinary acoustic space.

• Director of Sacred Music — Mr. Andrew Kreigh (314-373-8228)
• Associate Organist — Mr. Benton Blasingame
• Cathedral Concerts — Mr. Scott Kennebeck
• Organs: original Kilgen organ (1915, now in the Mosaic Museum); successor organ reinstalled under Verner Burks, Jr. to reveal the stained glass and mosaics behind it

Mosaic Museum, Tours & Gift Shop

Beneath the church, the Mosaic Museum tells the story of how the world's largest mosaic collection was made — showcasing the tools, drawings, original tesserae, mosaics-in-progress, and artifacts from the artisans (including elements of the original Kilgen organ). Tours run weekdays by appointment and on most Sundays after the noon Mass; self-guided visits during open hours are free, with a $2 suggested donation for the museum. On-site parking is available, and the Central West End MetroLink station is less than a mile away.

• Hours: Cathedral 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily
• Mosaic Museum: Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sun noon–4 p.m. (suggested $2 donation)
• Guided tours: weekdays 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. by appointment (314-373-8241)
• Sunday tours: open to the public after the 12:00 noon Mass (no reservation required for individuals)
• Gift Shop on site — staffed by volunteers
• On-site parking lot; Central West End MetroLink <1 mile

Clergy, Staff & Governance

The parish is led by Rector Monsignor Henry J. Breier (appointed June 28, 2019). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Father Charles Archer, with Father Peter Fonseca in residence. Pastoral support is provided by Permanent Deacons John Curtin, James Keating, and Dean Mandis, plus Deacon Tim Dunn. The diocesan ordinary is Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, installed as tenth Archbishop of St. Louis on August 25, 2020. Lay staff handle finance and operations, events, sacred music, tours, and advancement (Adam Bockman, Director of Finance; Mary Ann Fox, Events Manager; Susie Irons, Tours & Gift Shop; Jennifer Stanard, Director of Advancement).