About St. Patrick · Cairo, Illinois
St. Patrick Parish in Cairo, Illinois, is a welcoming, prayerful community established in 1838, worshipping in a historic Romanesque-style church built in 1894. The parish features 16 stained glass windows and original oil paintings of archangels and apostles, and serves as a spiritual center in a town with deep historical roots, including its connection to General U.S. Grant during the Civil War. Sunday Mass is held at 11:00 A.M. in the lower church, open to all visitors and newcomers.
- Established
- 1838
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Diocese
- Belleville Diocese
Why belong here
Join a community that has been prayerful since 1838, offering Mass in a beautiful historic church with stained glass and original artwork. The parish welcomes all — whether you’re new to town, visiting, or just passing through — and offers a warm, inclusive environment rooted in faith and history.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
A Rich History
St. Patrick Parish was established in 1838 and its original building was the first church in Cairo, Illinois. The current church building, constructed in 1894 in Romanesque style from Bedford stone, is the third church since the parish began. It features a two-story design with the main church upstairs and a chapel and parish hall downstairs, whose furnishings came from the now-closed St. Joseph Catholic Church. The parish has historical ties to General U.S. Grant’s Civil War headquarters in Cairo.
Reverent Beauty
The church has 16 stained glass windows on the north and south walls depicting the birth of Christ, the crucifixion and various saints. There are four original oil paintings of the archangels St. Michael and St. Gabriel, and St. Peter and St. Paul. They are located behind the dome-like wall of the sanctuary.
The Parish
The parish has a rich history dating from its beginning, especially during the Civil War when General U. S. Grant had a headquarters in Cairo. At one time, there were three Catholic parishes in Cairo. St. Joseph Parish and St. Columba Parish were both closed during the 1960s and became a part of St. Patrick Parish. Our parish administrator Father Chris Mujule resides at our partner parish, St. Rose of Lima Parish, in Metropolis, Illinois.