About St. Mary Basilica · Natchez, Mississippi
St. Mary Basilica is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Natchez, Mississippi, and the spiritual home of approximately 2,000 Catholics across Adams County. Originally built as the Cathedral of the newly erected Diocese of Natchez in 1842 and dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows on December 25, 1843, it was the first Catholic cathedral in Mississippi and remained the mother church of the diocese for 135 years. After the diocesan see was moved to Jackson in 1977, St. Mary was redesignated a parish, and in 1998 Pope John Paul II elevated it to the rank of minor basilica — the only one in the state of Mississippi. Today the Gothic Revival landmark, designed by Baltimore architect Robert Cary Long Jr., is both a working parish and one of Natchez's most-visited historic landmarks.
- Established
- 1842
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title "Our Lady of Sorrows")
- Rector
- Very Rev. Aaron M. Williams (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jackson (originally the Diocese of Natchez, erected 1837; renamed Diocese of Natchez-Jackson in 1956 and split into the Diocese of Jackson and the Diocese of Biloxi in 1977)
Why belong here
St. Mary offers an unusually rich devotional life for a parish of its size: a Solemn Sunday Mass with full choir, a Tuesday afternoon of Eucharistic Adoration closing with Benediction, a weekly Rosary, the Friday Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, and a Saturday Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows, plus frequent opportunities for Confession. The parish runs the diocesan Cathedral School (K–12), an active youth ministry (which takes students to the March for Life in Washington), and programs such as the ChristLife series that draw together the three Natchez parishes for small-group evangelization. For Catholics who love historic churches, daily liturgy in a Gothic Revival landmark consecrated in 1886 and elevated to the rank of minor basilica by St. John Paul II is a daily privilege most parishes in America cannot offer.
Mass times at St. Mary Basilica
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday – Friday: 11:30 a.m.
- Saturday: 4:15 p.m.
- First Saturday: 7:30 a.m.
- By appointment — call (601) 445-5616
Adoration times
- Every Tuesday following the 12:05 p.m. Mass, concluding with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 5:20 p.m.
History of St. Mary Basilica
From its 1842 cornerstone to its 1998 designation as a minor basilica and its 2025 exterior restoration, St. Mary's history traces the growth of Catholicism in Mississippi. The cathedral was commissioned by the first bishop of Natchez, John Joseph Chanche, S.S., and designed in Baltimore by Robert Cary Long Jr., executed on site by James Hardie and completed by Irish-immigrant builder Warner. Decades of debt delayed the consecration until 1886; later changes of identity — from cathedral (to 1977) to church (1977–1998) to minor basilica — mirror the relocation of the diocesan see to Jackson in 1948 and the diocese's 1977 split into Jackson and Biloxi.
- 1842 – Construction begins under Bishop Chanche
- December 25, 1843 – Dedicated Our Lady of Sorrows
- 1852 – Bishop Chanche dies; he is later reinterred at the church (2007)
- September 19, 1886 – Cathedral consecrated, free of debt
- 1882 – H. Pilcher & Sons organ installed
- 1884–1893 – Twelve Tyrolean stained-glass windows installed
- 1930 – Conrad Schmitt Studios install Carrara marble furnishings
- 1948 – Diocesan see moves to Jackson
- 1977 – Cathedral title transferred to St. Peter the Apostle; church becomes a parish
- February 1998 – Tornado damages pinnacles
- September 8, 1998 – Designated minor basilica by Pope John Paul II
- September 25, 1999 – Basilica dedicated as such
- 1999–2002 – Major restoration
- 2007 – Bishop Chanche's body reinterred in churchyard
- 2025 – $2.5 million exterior restoration begins
Architecture and Sacred Art
St. Mary is an exceptional Gothic Revival landmark in Mississippi, designed by Baltimore's Robert Cary Long Jr. and built in brick with cast stone by James Hardie and Warner. Its sixteen stained-glass windows, marble altars, Stations of the Cross, and 1882 organ are central to its identity as both a house of worship and a pilgrimage site for architecture lovers. A planned Cultural Heritage Center will interpret these treasures for visitors and tell the story of early Black Catholic ministry in Natchez.
- Gothic Revival; architect Robert Cary Long Jr.; supervising architect James Hardie
- Two-story brick on partially raised basement; central clock tower with copper-clad spire and golden cross
- Five bells in the tower, including the 1849 bronze Maria Alexandrina
- 16 stained-glass windows (12 by Tyroler Glasmalerei of Innsbruck, 4 by Emil Frei of St. Louis)
- Carrara marble main and side altars; communion rail, screens, and bishop's throne by Conrad Schmitt Studios (1930)
- 14 Stations of the Cross in painted plaster relief
- 1882 H. Pilcher & Sons pipe organ
- Blue rib-vaulted ceiling, ~40 ft high, with gold detailing
- Three papal insignia: umbraculum, tintinnabulum, coat of arms mosaic
Worship and Liturgy
As a minor basilica, St. Mary is charged with being a 'center of active and pastoral liturgy,' with rich music, devotional practices, and feasts such as the Chair of St. Peter (Feb. 22), Ss. Peter and Paul (June 29), the World Day of the Sick (Feb. 16), and anniversaries of the pope's election and inauguration. The Sunday Solemn Mass at 10:00 a.m. and the Saturday vigil at 5:00 p.m. anchor the parish week, with daily Mass and a vibrant devotional schedule surrounding them.
- Solemn Sunday Mass: 10:00 a.m.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m. (Anticipated Sunday Mass)
- Weekday Masses: Mon 7:00 a.m.; Tue–Fri 12:05 p.m.; Sat 8:00 a.m.
- Wednesday 8:00 a.m. School Mass during the academic year
Sacramental Schedule
Confession is offered every Tuesday through Friday morning before the noon Mass, Saturday afternoon before vigil, and on First Saturdays. Appointments may be made by calling the parish office. Anointing of the Sick, Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage are coordinated through the parish office and Cathedral School faith formation.
- Confession: Tue–Fri 11:30 a.m.; Sat 4:15 p.m.; First Sat 7:30 a.m.; or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick: on request
- Baptism: arranged through the parish office
- Marriage: six months' notice recommended; call (601) 445-5616
Music and Liturgical Ministries
Music is led by Music Director Dr. Patrick Doherty, supported by a Solemn Mass choir and cantors, drawing on the parish's 1882 Pilcher organ. The minor-basilica designation calls St. Mary to 'prayerfully develop' liturgical music and promote participation by the congregation.
- Music Director: Dr. Patrick Doherty
- Solemn Mass choir and cantors at Sunday 10:00 a.m.
- 1882 H. Pilcher & Sons pipe organ
Cathedral School (Faith Formation & Education)
St. Mary Basilica is the home parish of Cathedral School, the K–12 diocesan school founded in 1853 by Bishop John J. Chanche's three nieces — the first Catholic school in Mississippi. Today's enrollment is more than 600 students across the elementary and high-school campuses at 701 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. St. The school celebrated its Class of 2026 graduation in May, presided over by Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of the Diocese of Jackson and Fr. Aaron Williams. Students regularly travel to Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life.
- Founded 1853 (first Catholic school in Mississippi)
- K–12 enrollment of more than 600 students
- Elementary Office: (601) 442-1988 — 701 N. MLK, Jr. St.
- High School Office: (601) 442-2531
- March for Life participation (annually since at least 2022)
- Baccalaureate Mass traditionally held at St. Mary Basilica
Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation
Programs coordinated by Programs Coordinator Ruth Powers invite parishioners and seekers into a deeper relationship with Christ through parish-wide series and small-group ministry. The ChristLife program, including Discovering Christ and Following Christ, has been a signature effort, drawing together parishioners from all three Natchez parishes.
- ChristLife — Discovering Christ (7-week series, weekly fellowship meal, video teaching, and small-group discussion)
- ChristLife — Following Christ (planned next phase)
- Book studies and parish-wide action plans
- Open to all backgrounds; small groups of ~14 per series
Youth Ministry
The parish's Youth Director, Jennifer Combs, organizes faith formation for the parish's young people — including outreach such as attending the March for Life in Washington and regular participation in the Sunday Solemn Mass as lectors and musicians.
- Youth Director: Jennifer Combs
- Annual March for Life pilgrimage
- Wednesday 8:00 a.m. School Mass during academic year
Outreach, Heritage, and the Black Catholic Story
Under Fr. Aaron Williams, the parish has been actively preserving its history, including the burial and memorialization of Bishop Chanche and long-term planning for a Cultural Heritage Center in the lower hall and original parish library. This center — encompassing a museum, video presentations, and a mural depicting the early school and ministry of Bishop Chanche to Black Catholics — will educate visitors on Catholic history, evangelization, and the baptism of more than 600 enslaved African Americans by the first bishop of Mississippi.
- Strategic Planning Coordinator: Jacob Ali
- Cultural Heritage Center project (museum + video + mural)
- Mural on Bishop Chanche's ministry to Black Catholics
- Restoration of the 1846–1847 Greek Revival Rectory by John Crothers
Parish Staff and Leadership
The rector of St. Mary Basilica is Very Rev. Aaron M. Williams, appointed pastor in May 2022 and responsible for both St. Mary Basilica and Assumption parish. The parish is supported by a lean staff handling parish administration, business, programming, youth ministry, music, and strategic planning for ongoing capital projects.
- Rector: Very Rev. Aaron M. Williams (May 2022 – present)
- Parish Secretary: Regina Mardis
- Business Office: Mary Flowers
- Programs Coordinator: Ruth Powers (also listed as Ruth McWilliams)
- Youth Director: Jennifer Combs
- Music Director: Dr. Patrick Doherty
- Strategic Planning Coordinator: Jacob Ali
Restoration and Capital Projects
Ongoing stewardship is a hallmark of St. Mary's identity as a National Register-contributing property and minor basilica. In 2022 Fr. Williams hired Jacob Ali as strategic planning coordinator to oversee simultaneous projects on the rectory, bell tower, stained glass, electrical, bell, organ, sound, and HVAC systems damaged by a lightning strike. A $2.5 million exterior restoration began in 2025, executed by Cangelosi-Ward of Baton Rouge with guidance from Carter Burns of the Historic Natchez Foundation.
- 2019 – Ice-storm damage repaired
- 2022 – Bell-tower roof replaced; rectory third floor restored
- 2022 – Emergency repair and protective glass on two stained-glass windows
- 2022 – Lightning-strike repairs to bell striker, organ, sound, HVAC
- 2025 – $2.5 million exterior restoration by Cangelosi-Ward
- Future – Cultural Heritage Center conversion of the lower hall and original parish library
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Most Rev. John Joseph Chanche, S.S. (Bishop of Natchez)1840–1852
First Catholic bishop of Mississippi; commissioned the cathedral from architect Robert Cary Long Jr. and laid the cornerstone in 1842. Died of cholera in 1852 while returning from the First Plenary Council of Baltimore; his body was exhumed in 2007 and reinterred in the St. Mary Basilica churchyard.
- Most Rev. James Oliver Van de Velde, S.S. (Bishop of Natchez)1853–1855
Second bishop of Natchez; died of yellow fever after only 23 months in office.
- Most Rev. William Henry Elder (Bishop of Natchez)1857–1880
Third bishop; guided the cathedral through the Civil War and a yellow fever epidemic (1878); appointed coadjutor archbishop of Cincinnati in 1880.
- Most Rev. Francis August Janssens, D.D. (Bishop of Natchez)1881–1888
Saw the cathedral to its consecration in 1886 (free of debt); later named Archbishop of New Orleans.
- Most Rev. Thomas Heslin (Bishop of Natchez)1889–1911
Fifth bishop of Natchez.
- Most Rev. John Edward Gunn, S.M. (Bishop of Natchez)1911–1924
Known as the 'Chapel Builder' for dramatically expanding the diocese.
- Most Rev. Richard Oliver Gerow (Bishop of Natchez)1924–1967
Oversaw a major interior renovation of the cathedral; relocated the diocesan see to Jackson in 1948.
