About Cathedral of Saint Peter · Belleville, Illinois
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is the mother church of the Diocese of Belleville and the largest cathedral in the state of Illinois, located at 200 W. Harrison Street in Belleville, Illinois. Originally founded in 1842 as St. Barnabas the Apostle and rededicated to St. Peter in 1847, it was designated as the cathedral church when Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Belleville on January 7, 1887. The Gothic Revival building, modeled after the interior of the Cathedral of Exeter in England and designed by St. Louis architect Victor Klutho, was dedicated on November 6, 1866, and seats 1,270. It is currently administered by Very Reverend Godfrey Mullen, OSB — a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey who serves both as Cathedral Rector and as the diocesan bishop — alongside three permanent deacons and a full parish staff.
- Established
- 1842
- Patron
- Saint Peter (Apostle); originally Saint Barnabas the Apostle (1842–1847)
- Rector
- Very Reverend Godfrey Mullen, OSB (Cathedral Rector and diocesan bishop)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is the spiritual heart of the Diocese of Belleville — a historic Gothic Revival mother church offering daily and Sunday Masses, multiple weekly confession slots, daily Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, and a Tuesday Perpetual Help Novena. It runs a robust social-outreach network including a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, a Saturday breakfast for the needy, a Rosary Makers Guild, a Knights of Columbus council, pro-life activities, a parish sister-diocese relationship with Jalapa, Guatemala, and a Ministry to the Sick and Homebound. Lifelong faith formation is supported through the Parishes' School of Religion at the St. Augustine Campus, a free FORMED.org digital subscription for every parishioner, and a welcoming committee that personally reaches out to every new family. It is also one of only a few parishes in the diocese where Bishop Godfrey Mullen himself serves as rector, giving the parish a uniquely close connection to diocesan liturgy.
Mass times at Cathedral of Saint Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 7:15–7:30 AM
- Tuesday: 7:15–7:30 AM
- Wednesday: 7:15–7:30 AM
- Thursday: 7:15–7:30 AM (morning) and 6:00–7:00 PM (evening)
- Friday: 7:15–7:30 AM
- Saturday: 3:00–3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 12:00–1:00 PM
History of the Cathedral
St. Peter Parish was established in 1842 and was the first Catholic church in Belleville. A wooden frame church under the patronage of St. Barnabas the Apostle was built the following year; in 1847 the patron was changed to St. Peter and the church was rededicated by Bishop William Quarter of Chicago. By 1863 the congregation had outgrown the original structure and laid the cornerstone for a new brick building, which was dedicated on November 6, 1866 after one of the main pillars collapsed during construction. On January 7, 1887 Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Belleville from the southern 28 counties of the Diocese of Alton and named the church of St. Peter as its cathedral church.
- 1842 — Parish established as St. Barnabas the Apostle
- 1843 — First wooden frame church built
- 1847 — Rededicated as St. Peter by Bishop William Quarter
- 1863 — Cornerstone laid for the brick church
- 1866, November 6 — Brick cathedral dedicated
- 1887, January 7 — Designated cathedral of the new Diocese of Belleville
Fires, Rebuilding and the Gothic Revival Cathedral
On January 4, 1912, a fire — set, according to local accounts, by neighborhood children playing in the upper church — gutted the interior; firefighters could not reach the 80-foot roof with the available water pressure in 15 °F temperatures, and a local newspaper estimated damage at US$100,000 against only $40,000 in insurance. Because the exterior walls and bell tower survived, diocesan leaders rebuilt the cathedral inside them, modeling the new interior on the Cathedral of Exeter in England. St. Louis architect Victor Klutho designed the reconstruction, which also added a crypt. On Ascension Thursday, May 5, 1937, a second fire damaged the west side of the nave, prompting repairs and redecoration of the entire interior.
- 1912 — Fire destroys the interior; exterior walls retained
- 1912 — Architect Victor Klutho of St. Louis rebuilds the cathedral inside the walls, modeled on the Cathedral of Exeter, England
- 1912 — Crypt added during reconstruction
- 1937 — Second fire damages the west nave; interior repaired and redecorated
1950s and 1960s Renovations
In the 1950s, Belleville's third bishop, Albert R. Zuroweste, initiated a two-phase modernization of the cathedral. Phase one resurfaced the 1866 exterior brick walls — whose mortar joints had been damaged by the 1912 fire — with Winona split-face dolomitic limestone and Indiana limestone trim; the baptistry was reconstructed, a front terrace added, and a new east stairwell to the balcony built. Phase two, begun in January 1966 and completed December 1968, extended the length of the cathedral, added the south nave, new sacristies, shrines, and the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, and increased seating capacity to 1,270. Because the work coincided with the Second Vatican Council's liturgical reforms, the sanctuary was reconfigured to the new directives without need for later modification.
- 1956 — Exterior brick resurfaced in Winona split-face dolomitic limestone with Indiana limestone trim
- 1966–1968 — South nave, new sacristies, shrines and Blessed Sacrament Chapel added
- 1966–1968 — Sanctuary reconfigured for Vatican II; seating capacity raised to 1,270
Architecture and Notable Features
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is a Gothic Revival church built of dolomitic limestone with Indiana limestone trim, measuring 265 feet long, 65 feet wide and 222 feet tall, and seating 1,270. Its design references the interior of the Cathedral of Exeter in England and includes pointed arches, ribbed vaults, tall spires and a bell tower. The interior is decorated with elaborate stained-glass windows depicting saints, biblical scenes and historical events from the Diocese of Belleville; in the modern end of the church, a window portrays diocesan history. A cathedral museum is located next to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Architect: Victor Klutho (St. Louis)
- Dimensions: 265 ft × 65 ft × 222 ft
- Capacity: 1,270
- Materials: Winona split-face dolomitic limestone with Indiana limestone trim
- Crypt added in the 1912 reconstruction
- Stained glass portraying saints and Diocese of Belleville history
- Cathedral museum next to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Recent Highlights
In 2012 the diocese reinstalled the historic pulpit and cathedral canopy that had been removed during the 1966 project, restoring elements of the pre-Vatican II interior. In 2015 the body of Saint Maria Goretti — the Italian child-martyr killed in 1902 at age 11 — was displayed at the cathedral, drawing thousands of visitors. The Cathedral has long served as the setting for major diocesan celebrations, including the annual Rite of Election on the First Sunday of Lent.
- 2012 — Historic pulpit and cathedral canopy reinstalled
- 2015 — Body of St. Maria Goretti displayed at the cathedral
- Annual Rite of Election for the Diocese of Belleville is hosted here each First Sunday of Lent
Pastoral Leadership and Parish Staff
The Cathedral is currently served by Most Reverend Godfrey Mullen, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey who professed vows in 1989, was ordained in 1994 and earned a PhD in Liturgical Studies from The Catholic University of America in 2003. He serves both as Bishop of Belleville and as Cathedral Rector. He is assisted by three permanent deacons — David W. Fields, Douglas Lugge and Wayne L. Weiler — and by a full lay staff.
- Bishop Godfrey Mullen, OSB — Cathedral Rector and Bishop of Belleville ([email protected])
- Deacon David W. Fields
- Deacon Douglas Lugge
- Deacon Wayne L. Weiler
- Sister Theresa Markus, SSND — Director of Religious Education
- Richard (Rich) W. Thompson — Organist & Choir Director
- Paul Lindauer — Coordinator, Contemporary Choir
- Sue Pederson — Office Manager
- Josie Weiler / Karen Ferrara — Business Manager / Bookkeeper
- Carissa Reitano — Assistant Office Manager (Parish & Cemetery)
- Kristina Ramsby — Executive Assistant to Bishop Mullen
- Daryl Barton — Facilities Manager
- Diane Walsh — Green Mount Catholic Cemetery
Faith Formation and Catholic Education
Faith formation is a lifelong commitment at the Cathedral. Sister Theresa Markus, SSND directs Religious Education and the parish has a long partnership with the Parishes' School of Religion (PSR) at the St. Augustine Campus, with sessions on Sundays 8:45–10:00 AM and Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 PM. The Cathedral also provides a free FORMED.org digital faith-formation subscription for every parishioner using parish code PGFP4. Middle-school youth participate in the annual Luke 18 retreat weekend.
- Sister Theresa Markus, SSND — Director of Religious Education
- Parishes' School of Religion (PSR) at St. Augustine Campus
- FORMED.org digital platform (parish code: PGFP4)
- Luke 18 middle-school retreat weekend
- Notre Dame Academy — operated on the Cathedral campus until its closure May 31, 2024 after 175+ years of Catholic education
RCIA and the Rite of Election
The Cathedral is the setting for the Diocese of Belleville's annual Rite of Election on the First Sunday of Lent, when catechumens preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter are formally recognized by the bishop. The diocesan Office of Worship supports parish catechumenate and initiation ministries, sponsors Christian Initiation leader and team formation, and coordinates this annual celebration at the Cathedral.
- Annual Rite of Election — First Sunday of Lent
- Supported by the diocesan Office of Worship
Music and Liturgy
Music at the Cathedral is led by Organist and Choirmaster Richard (Rich) W. Thompson, with Paul Lindauer coordinating the Contemporary Choir. The program supports the parish's traditional and contemporary Sunday Masses, holy day celebrations, weddings, funerals and diocesan liturgies.
- Richard W. Thompson — Organist & Choir Director
- Paul Lindauer — Contemporary Choir Coordinator
Outreach and Social Ministry
Cathedral parishioners are actively engaged in works of mercy through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which operates a parish food pantry, helps stock the SVdP Thrift Store and Help Center, and serves a hot breakfast every Saturday in the Cathedral School Café. The Cathedral Rosary Makers Guild makes rosaries for the missions, the homebound, hospital and nursing-home patients, meeting Fridays 9:30 AM–Noon in the Undercroft. Additional outreach includes a Ministry to the Sick and Homebound, a Pro-Life committee, a Bereavement Luncheon Committee, a Wednesday Work Crew, and a parish Sister-Diocese relationship with Jalapa, Guatemala.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — Food Pantry and Saturday Breakfast for the Needy and Lonely
- Cathedral Rosary Makers Guild (Fri 9:30 AM–Noon, Undercroft)
- Ministry to the Sick and Homebound — contact Susan Wiegers, 618-304-2355
- Pro-Life Committee — contact Margie Schwartz, 618-578-8781
- Welcoming Committee — contact Janet Koch, 618-233-7709
- Bereavement / Funeral Luncheon Committee
- Wednesday Work Crew
- Sister-Diocese: Jalapa, Guatemala
- Knights of Columbus — Grand Knight Johnny Reitano, 618-698-4006
Green Mount Catholic Cemetery
The Cathedral operates Green Mount Catholic Cemetery, one of the historic Catholic cemeteries in the Belleville area. Cemetery business is coordinated through the parish office.
- Carissa Reitano — Assistant Office Manager (Parish & Cemetery)
- Diane Walsh — Cemetery ([email protected])
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Visiting and Contact Information
The Cathedral is located in downtown Belleville at 200 W. Harrison Street, three blocks south of West Main Street and two blocks west of Illinois Street (Highway 159). Parish office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM–Noon. Visitors are welcome at scheduled Masses, the Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration hour, and by appointment to view the cathedral museum next to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
- Address: 200 W. Harrison Street, Belleville, IL 62220
- Rectory / Parish Phone: (618) 234-1166
- Parish School of Religion: (618) 722-2366
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–4:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–Noon
- Cathedral museum next to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Janssen1888–1913
First Bishop of Belleville; designated St. Peter's as the cathedral in 1887.
- Bishop Albert R. Zuroweste
Belleville's third bishop; initiated the two-phase 1950s and 1960s renovations including the limestone exterior and the 1966–1968 expansion.
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