Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart

History & Significance

Basilica · Est. Construction began 1871; dedicated October 19, 1954

First proposed in 1859 by James Roosevelt Bayley, the first Bishop of Newark, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart had its construction begin in 1871 and, after decades of building, was dedicated on October 19, 1954 by Archbishop Thomas Aloysius Boland. It serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and is the mother church of the archdiocese. During his 1995 visit to the United States, Pope John Paul II prayed at the cathedral and elevated it to the rank of minor basilica, giving it its present name, Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. It is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the Western Hemisphere and ranks among the largest cathedrals in North America.

French Gothic Revival, modeled on Notre-Dame de Paris and Chartres

• •Seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and mother church of the archdiocese
• •Construction began in 1871; dedicated October 19, 1954 by Archbishop Thomas Aloysius Boland
• •Elevated to minor basilica by Pope John Paul II during his 1995 U.S. visit
• •Among the largest cathedrals in North America; longer and taller than St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York
• •Its 36-foot rose window is the largest of its kind in a Catholic church in the Western Hemisphere