About The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception · Syracuse, New York
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse and the seat of the Bishop of Syracuse, located at 259 East Onondaga Street in downtown Syracuse, New York. Built originally as St. Mary's Church in the 1870s for Syracuse's immigrant Catholic community, it was redesignated as the cathedral on March 13, 1904 by Bishop Patrick Anthony Ludden and consecrated on September 25, 1910. The Gothic Revival limestone landmark houses 124 stained-glass windows from Munich, an 1892 Roosevelt-Schantz pipe organ, and shrines dedicated to the Blessed Mother and to St. Marianne Cope. Beyond its liturgical role, the Cathedral operates the Cathedral Emergency Services food pantry and Amaus Health Services, which provide vision and dental care to the uninsured in central New York.
- Established
- 1830
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception (patroness of the United States)
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Neal E. Quartier, Ph.D., LCSW, BCD (Rector)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception offers central-New-York Catholics a rare combination: a living downtown mother-church of the diocese, daily Mass in a soaring 1870s Gothic Revival landmark filled with Munich stained glass and one of the country's last great Roosevelt-Schantz organs, plus a robust social-outreach mission. Weekday Masses and four Sunday Masses make it accessible for commuters and students, while ministries such as Cathedral Emergency Services (food pantry), Amaus Vision and Amaus Dental (free care for the uninsured), religious education, the young-adult program, the volunteer Cathedral Choir, and a respected Pre-Cana program anchor it firmly in the wider Syracuse community.
Mass times at The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 11:00 – 11:30 AM
- Saturday 4:15 – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Open for Private Prayer: Monday – Friday 7:00 – 11:30 AM and 1:00 – 3:00 PM
About the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse and the seat of the diocesan bishop, currently the Most Rev. Douglas Lucia. The parish's own mission statement reads: 'The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception opens its doors to all for worship and prayer as a spiritual home away from home. Through these doors, the Cathedral ministers to the needs of the community by providing food for the hungry, comfort to the sick and elderly, hope to those in jail and elementary education for the young. Together with other local parishes, the Cathedral provides a regional center for strengthening the community of faith.' Worship is offered in English, with five weekend Masses (one Saturday vigil, three on Sunday) and a daily Mass schedule that supports downtown workers, students, and visitors.
- Mailing Address: 259 East Onondaga Street, Syracuse, NY 13202
- Rectory Phone: (315) 422-4177
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: cathedralsyracuse.org
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse (syracusediocese.org)
History of the Cathedral
The parish traces its roots to 1830, when the first Catholics settled in the salt-manufacturing village of Syracuse. The Diocese of Albany bought land for a Catholic church in 1841; on Christmas Day 1842 the congregation of St. Mary's first worshipped in its own building. As the immigrant Catholic population grew, the Albany diocese hired New York architect Lawrence J. O'Connor to design a much larger limestone church, dedicated in 1885 as St. Mary's. After the Vatican erected the Diocese of Syracuse in 1886 and named Patrick Anthony Ludden its first bishop, Ludden initially used St. John the Evangelist as his pro-cathedral. In 1903 he purchased the adjoining 'La Concha' bathhouse with his own money and engaged Archimedes Russell to design a new sanctuary, bell tower, and chimes. On March 13, 1904, the parish was redesignated the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and was solemnly consecrated on September 25, 1910 — the first cathedral consecrated in the new diocese. Pope Leo XIII gave Bishop Ludden a brick from the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica for the occasion. Major renovations followed in 1957 (Flemish carillon bells), 1958 (Baroque-style re-facing under Bishop Walter Foery), 1978 (Bishop David Cunningham's stained-glass and organ restoration, which rediscovered eight hidden Marian windows), 2013 (installation of the Mother Marianne Cope mosaic), and 2016–2017 ($12 million diocesan-wide restoration, with rededication on September 8, 2017 by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop Robert J. Cunningham).
- 1841 – Diocese of Albany purchases land for a Catholic church in Syracuse
- 1842 – Christmas Day: St. Mary's congregation first worships in its own edifice
- 1872 – Larger church commissioned from architect Lawrence J. O'Connor
- 1885 – St. Mary's Church dedicated
- November 20, 1886 – Diocese of Syracuse erected by Pope Leo XIII
- May 1, 1887 – Patrick Anthony Ludden consecrated first Bishop of Syracuse
- 1892 – Roosevelt organ of 3,000+ pipes installed
- March 13, 1904 – Parish redesignated the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
- September 25, 1910 – Cathedral consecrated
- 1957 – Flemish carillon bells installed
- 1958 – Facade re-clad in ornamental Baroque style under Bishop Foery
- 1978 – Bishop Cunningham's renovation repairs windows and organ; eight hidden Marian windows rediscovered
- 2013 – Italian-made mosaic of St. Marianne Cope installed
- 2016 – Diocesan-wide $12 million restoration campaign announced
- September 8, 2017 – Cathedral rededicated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop Robert J. Cunningham
Architecture, Art, and Music
The Cathedral is a Gothic Revival limestone landmark in downtown Syracuse, designed in two main campaigns — the 1874 O'Connor church and Archimedes Russell's 1903–1910 sanctuary and bell tower — and given its present ornamental facade in 1958. Inside, 124 stained-glass windows from the Franz Mayer and Company of Munich, five monumental sanctuary windows, and a great rose window make it one of central New York's most distinctive worship spaces. The 1892 Roosevelt pipe organ (more than 3,000 pipes), rebuilt by Schantz and maintained by Kerner and Merchant, anchors a music ministry complemented by a Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano. Highlights for visitors include the Shrine of the Blessed Mother (with a bronze statue by Jewish-convert sculptor Jacqueline Belfort-Chalat) and the 2013 mosaic of St. Marianne Cope, who served as the first director of St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse before going to the leper colony at Molokai.
- Style: Gothic Revival; exterior cladding updated 1958 in an ornamental, almost Baroque mode
- Architects: Lawrence J. O'Connor (original church, 1874) and Archimedes Russell (1903–1910 sanctuary and bell tower)
- Material: Limestone (each stone hand-cut and lifted without modern machinery)
- Stained glass: 124 windows by Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich, including five sanctuary windows and a Mary-Queen-of-Heaven rose window
- Organ: 1892 Roosevelt pipe organ of 3,000+ pipes, rebuilt by Schantz Organ Co. and now digital-controlled by Kerner & Merchant
- Piano: Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano
- Bells: Flemish carillon (1957)
- Mosaic: 10×5-foot Italian-made mosaic of St. Marianne Cope of Molokai (2013)
- Shrine: Shrine of the Blessed Mother with bronze statue by Jacqueline Belfort-Chalat
Sacraments
The Cathedral celebrates all seven sacraments in its downtown mother-church setting. Baptisms are usually scheduled on Sundays at 11:00 AM (not during Lent or on Easter Sunday) and require at least one Catholic parent and one Catholic godparent; first-time parents attend a pre-baptismal session. Weddings are scheduled on Friday at 4:00 PM or Saturday at 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM and should be booked at least six months in advance; Pre-Cana is required and annulments must be finalized before remarriage. Reconciliation is offered weekly (see above). Religious Education prepares children for First Eucharist and Confirmation, and the parish runs a full RCIA process for adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Baptism: contact Deacon Bob Burke, (315) 422-4177, [email protected]
- Wedding Coordinator: Sharon Secor, (315) 422-4177 ext. 29, [email protected]
- Pre-Cana: held every March and October
- Wedding Fee: $1,500 ($750 non-refundable deposit, balance due one month prior)
- Anointing of the Sick: by request through the Rectory
- RCIA: contact the parish office
Music Ministry
Under Director of Music Dr. Brian DuSell, the Cathedral's music ministry combines professional cantors, soloists, and instrumentalists with a roster of dedicated volunteers. The Cathedral Choir sings for the 9:45 AM Sunday Mass and rehearses on Thursday evenings at 6:00 PM; the Cathedral Handbell Choir rehearses Thursdays at 4:00 PM and rings for the 9:45 Mass twice a month. The choir season runs from September through the first Sunday of June. The Cathedral also partners with area high schools, colleges, and professional ensembles to host concerts of sacred music, and a CD of works by Herbert Howells played on the 1892 Roosevelt-Schantz organ has been released.
- Director of Music: Dr. Brian DuSell — [email protected], (315) 422-4177 ext. 6431
- Cathedral Choir: Sunday 9:45 AM Mass; Thursday 6:00 PM rehearsal
- Cathedral Handbell Choir: Thursday 4:00 PM rehearsal; rings twice a month
- Wedding Music: couples should contact Dr. DuSell six months in advance
- Recordings: sample wedding vocalist repertoire on the Cathedral's SoundCloud page
Outreach: Cathedral Emergency Services and Amaus
Two major social ministries grow directly out of the Cathedral parish. Cathedral Emergency Services (CES), located at 264 East Onondaga Street, is a downtown food pantry that serves adults and children within a designated geographic area of the city; it depends on donations of food, money, clothing, diapers, and baby formula. Amaus Vision and Dental Services, based at 421 Warren Street, provide free eye exams and glasses and free dental care to people with no or limited insurance. Both programs are explicitly listed in the parish's mission statement as part of how the Cathedral 'ministers to the needs of the community.'
- Cathedral Emergency Services (food pantry): 264 East Onondaga St., Syracuse, NY 13202 — (315) 424-1876, fax (315) 299-7098
- Amaus Vision Services — free eye exams and glasses for the uninsured
- Amaus Dental Services — Coordinator Dr. Fangio, (315) 802-6741
- Amaus Services mailing address: 259 East Onondaga St., Syracuse, NY 13202
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious Education at the Cathedral, coordinated by Betsy Burke, prepares children and teens for the sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation and supports the parish's school-aged Catholic formation. Adult faith formation runs through the RCIA process, Pre-Cana marriage preparation, and baptismal preparation sessions for first-time parents. The Cathedral also maintains a Young Adult Ministry coordinated by Deacon Dan Hurley, alongside ongoing media-relations and livestream production work that broadcasts Mass and the 'Pocket Homilies' series online.
- Religious Education Coordinator: Betsy Burke
- RCIA: contact the Rectory
- Pre-Cana: March and October sessions
- Young Adult Ministry: Deacon Dan Hurley
- Media Relations / Livestream: Deacon Dan Hurley
Clergy, Staff, and Pastoral Team
The Cathedral is led by Rector Rev. Msgr. Neal E. Quartier, Ph.D., LCSW, BCD, and is supported by three permanent deacons, a Pastoral Associate, a Director of Music, and a full administrative staff. Day-to-day parish operations are coordinated from the Rectory office (Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM) at 259 East Onondaga Street.
- Rector: Rev. Msgr. Neal E. Quartier — [email protected], ext. 12
- Deacon Paul W. Biermann (Bierman)
- Deacon Robert T. 'Bob' Burke — Baptism Coordinator, [email protected]
- Deacon Dan Hurley — Media Relations & Young Adult Ministry
- Pastoral Associate / Lay Ministry Coordinator: Sharon Secor — [email protected], ext. 29 (Wedding Coordinator)
- Director of Music: Dr. Brian DuSell — [email protected], ext. 6431
- Religious Education: Betsy Burke
- Business Manager: Beth Pronesti
- Assistant Business Manager / Accounting: Linda Witschi
- Accounting: Paul Drotar
- Director of Security & Building Maintenance: Jeff Moak
- Receptionist / Bulletin / Sacramental Records: Lynn Wilbur
- Receptionist / Bulletin: Sr. Catherine Hoefer
Visiting the Cathedral
The Cathedral is open for private prayer Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 11:30 AM and 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Group tours of the building, art, stained glass, organ, shrines, and bishops' crypt can be arranged by calling Wendy Seabrook at (315) 422-7203. Visitors are especially invited to see the Rose Window, the five sanctuary windows of Mary's life, the Shrine of the Blessed Mother, the Mother Marianne Cope mosaic, the Roosevelt-Schantz organ, and the bishops' crypt. The building is centrally located at 259 East Onondaga Street, within easy walking distance of downtown hotels, the Onondaga County Public Library, and the Connective Corridor.
- Tours: Wendy Seabrook, (315) 422-7203
- Open for Private Prayer: Mon–Fri 7:00 – 11:30 AM and 1:00 – 3:00 PM
- Rectory Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Streaming: youtube.com (live Mass and Pocket Homilies)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dr. James A. O'Harato 1889
Designed and built the original St. Mary's Church (the precursor parish). Died December 26, 1889. Listed as the second pastor of St. Mary's parish in diocesan records.
- Rev. Dr. Patrick A. Ludden (as bishop)1903–1912
As first Bishop of Syracuse, purchased adjoining property with his own funds, commissioned Archimedes Russell's sanctuary and bell tower, and redesignated the parish as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on March 13, 1904. Died August 6/12, 1912; interred in the cathedral crypt.
- Rev. John Grimes1890–1909
Third pastor of St. Mary's from 1890. Led the drive to pay off the parish debt of roughly $120,000–$250,000, which allowed the cathedral to be consecrated on September 25, 1910. Named Coadjutor Bishop of Syracuse in 1909 and second Bishop of Syracuse in 1912. Buried in the cathedral crypt.
