About St. Mary's Cath. Bas. of the Assumption · Covington, Kentucky
St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, located at 1130 Madison Avenue in Covington. Built between 1895 and 1901 in French Gothic Revival style, it was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XII on December 8, 1953 — one of only about 85 minor basilicas in the United States. The cathedral features Frank Duveneck murals, a 67-foot Mayer of Munich stained-glass window, a Carrara marble high altar, a Bishop Maes Crypt Chapel, and a St. Paul Relics Chapel housing a purported carpal bone of the Apostle Paul.
- Established
- 1834 (parish); 1901 (current cathedral building)
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (Assumption)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Ryan L. Maher, V.F. (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Covington (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
As the Mother Church of the Diocese of Covington, the Cathedral Basilica offers a uniquely rich devotional and liturgical life: daily Mass in English, a vigil and three Sunday Masses, weekly Confession, monthly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a weekly Thursday Rosary, a Saturday morning prayer group led by Deacon Franzen, a St. Vincent de Paul conference for direct service to the poor, and a music program anchored by Principal Organist and Choirmaster Dr. Gregory Schaffer and the preserved 1858 Mathias Schwab pipe organ. Worshipping here connects parishioners to a building of deep historical and artistic significance — Frank Duveneck murals, Mayer of Munich stained glass, a Carrara marble high altar, and the relics chapel under the baldachin — while supporting an active parish community of lectors, extraordinary ministers, altar servers, cantors, and volunteers coordinated by staff.
Mass times at St. Mary's Cath. Bas. of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the third Thursday of the month
History of St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica
The parish began in 1834 as the first Catholic church in Covington. By 1851 a larger church was needed, and in 1853 Pope Pius IX erected the Diocese of Covington and named George Aloysius Carrell its first bishop; he designated St. Mary's as the cathedral. After decades of growth, the diocese broke ground on the present cathedral in 1894, Bishop Camillus Paul Maes laid the cornerstone in 1895, and Bishop Maes dedicated the finished nave, apse, and transept on January 27, 1901. The Madison Avenue façade followed in 1908–1910. The cathedral was raised to a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII on December 8, 1953, and added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 20, 1973.
- 1834 — Bishop Purcell dedicates St. Mary's Church, Covington's first Catholic parish
- 1851 — Larger church begun
- 1853 — Diocese of Covington erected; St. Mary's named cathedral
- 1885 — Diocese begins planning a new cathedral
- 1893 — Architect Leon Coquard of Detroit completes plans (Notre-Dame-inspired)
- 1894 (April 13) — Ground broken on new cathedral
- 1895 (September 8) — Bishop Maes lays the cornerstone
- 1901 (January 27) — Bishop Maes dedicates the unfinished cathedral
- 1908–1910 — David Davis designs and builds the Madison Avenue façade; stained glass installed
- 1953 (December 8) — Elevated to minor basilica by Pope Pius XII
- 1973 (July 20) — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2002 — Interior restoration by Conrad Schmitt Studios (Cincinnati Preservation Award)
- 2019 — Bishop Maes's remains reinterred in the cathedral crypt chapel
- 2020–2021 — Buttress reinforcement, gargoyle replacement, and 24 niche statues installed (Neilson Carlin)
Architecture & Art
The cathedral is Late Gothic Revival / French Gothic, modeled on Notre-Dame de Paris externally and the Basilica of St. Denis internally. The structure was designed by Detroit architect Leon Coquard and the 1908–1910 Madison Avenue façade by local architect David Davis. The interior holds murals by Cincinnati painter Frank Duveneck, a Carrara marble high altar, Rosata and Breche marble floors, and the great Mayer of Munich transept window. The 1858 Mathias Schwab pipe organ, relocated from the razed St. Joseph Church in 1970, anchors music for liturgy.
- Style: Late Gothic Revival, French Gothic
- Architects: Leon Coquard (structure), David Davis (façade)
- Stained glass: Mayer & Co. of Munich, installed 1910, restored 2001
- Murals: Frank Duveneck
- Altar: Carrara marble
- Floors: Rosata and Breche marble
- Organ: two-manual Schwab (1858), 21 ranks
Bishop Maes Crypt Chapel & St. Paul Relics Chapel
Two side devotional spaces anchor the cathedral's interior. The Bishop Maes Crypt Chapel contains the white-and-green marble sarcophagus (installed 2019) with a sculpted figure of Bishop Maes on the lid; its white-oak altar with gilded detailing was dedicated in 2021 by Bishop Roger Joseph Foys. The St. Paul Relics Chapel sits beneath the baldachin and houses a selection of relics from the diocesan collection.
- Purported carpal bone of the Apostle Paul
- Purported ulna and radius bones of St. Arnold of Arnoldsweiler (8th-century Holy Roman Empire)
- Two purported skull relics of the 11,000 / 1,000 Virgin Martyrs of St. Ursula
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
The cathedral offers daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8:15 a.m., a Saturday Vigil at 4:30 p.m., and three Sunday Masses at 7:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. Confessions are heard Friday 12:00–1:00 p.m. and Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m., as well as by appointment. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is offered on the third Thursday of each month. Holy Day schedules follow the diocesan norm.
- Daily Mass Monday–Friday: 8:15 a.m.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 5:30 p.m.
- Holy Day Vigil: 5:30 p.m. (except All Saints Day); Holy Day: 10:00 a.m.
- Confession Friday 12–1 p.m.; Saturday 3–4 p.m.; or by appointment
- Adoration: third Thursday of each month
Clergy, Staff & Parish Leadership
Parish life is led by Rector Very Rev. Ryan L. Maher, V.F., with Rev. Msgr. Kurt H. Kemo, JCL as Vice Rector, Deacons Scott Folz and Jerry Franzen, and Pastoral Associate Sarah Wells. The Most Rev. John C. Iffert is the current Bishop of Covington; the Most Rev. Roger J. Foys serves as Bishop Emeritus. Lay staff run facilities, maintenance, music, finance, and the St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- Bishop of Covington: Most Rev. John C. Iffert
- Bishop Emeritus: Most Rev. Roger J. Foys
- Rector: Very Rev. Ryan L. Maher, V.F.
- Vice Rector: Rev. Msgr. Kurt H. Kemo, JCL
- Deacons: Scott Folz, Jerry Franzen
- Pastoral Associate: Sarah Wells
- Facilities Manager / Director of Volunteers: Mary Creech
- Parish Secretary: Trisha Brundage
- Director of Maintenance: Jim Zahneis
- Maintenance: Tom Lantry
- Principal Organist & Choirmaster: Dr. Gregory Schaffer
- Principal Cantor: LeeAnn Kordenbrock
- Organist: Diana Webb
- Cantor: Chelsea Gabbard
- Finance Council President: Rick Lehman
- St. Vincent de Paul Conference President: Dave Custer
- Historian/Archivist: Stephen Enzweiler
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music is led by Principal Organist and Choirmaster Dr. Gregory Schaffer, with Principal Cantor LeeAnn Kordenbrock, organist Diana Webb, and cantor Chelsea Gabbard. The cathedral's musical heritage rests largely on the two-manual Schwab pipe organ of 1858 (21 ranks), originally built for St. Joseph Church in Covington, moved to St. Mary's after St. Joseph was razed in 1970, and retaining its original mechanical key and stop actions, ivory keyboards, and faux-grained casework.
- Two-manual Schwab organ (1858, Mathias Schwab of Cincinnati)
- 21 ranks, mechanical key and stop action, ivory keyboards
- Pontifical Servers assist at the Bishop's Masses (notably the Chrism Mass)
Visiting the Cathedral
The cathedral is open to visitors throughout the week and offers a free online 360° virtual tour. A free on-site parking lot ('Park Open') is available. Public tours are scheduled periodically and announced in the parish bulletin. Visitors can see the Frank Duveneck murals, the Mayer of Munich transept window, the Carrara marble high altar, the Bishop Maes Crypt Chapel, and the St. Paul Relics Chapel beneath the baldachin.
- Open Hours: Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Sun 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (closed during 10 a.m. Sunday Mass)
- Free 360° virtual tour: covcathedral.com/virtual-tour
- Free on-site parking
- Periodic public tours announced in the parish bulletin
Parish Office & Contact
Parish office hours are Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. at 1101 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011. Phone 859-431-2060; Fax 859-431-8444; email [email protected].
Diocese of Covington
The cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Covington (Roman Catholic), which covers the eastern half of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The current bishop is the Most Rev. John C. Iffert; the bishop emeritus is the Most Rev. Roger J. Foys.
- Diocese website: covdio.org
- Founding of diocese: 1853 (Pope Pius IX)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Bishop George Aloysius Carrell1853–1868
First Bishop of Covington; designated St. Mary's as the cathedral.
- Bishop Augustus Toebbe1869–1884
Second Bishop of Covington; deferred new cathedral planning.
- Bishop Camillus Paul Maes1884–1915
Third Bishop of Covington; laid cornerstone 1895, dedicated cathedral Jan. 27, 1901; remains reinterred in the cathedral crypt chapel in 2019.
- Bishop Ferdinand Brossart1915–1923
Completed most of Bishop Maes's interior beautification program after Maes's death.
- Bishop William T. Mulloy1923–1953 (death)
Celebrated Solemn Pontifical High Mass Dec. 8, 1953 when Pope Pius XII elevated the cathedral to minor basilica.
- Bishop Richard Ackerman1956–1982
Sixth Bishop of Covington.
- Bishop William A. Hughes1983–1995
Seventh Bishop of Covington.
- Bishop Robert W. Muench1996–2001
Eighth Bishop of Covington; oversaw 2002 interior restoration.
- Bishop Roger Joseph Foys2002–2022
Ninth Bishop of Covington; dedicated the Bishop Maes crypt altar in 2021.
- Bishop John C. Iffert2022–present
Tenth and current Bishop of Covington.
- Very Rev. Ryan L. Maher, V.F.
Current Rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption (parish level).
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