Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist (Savannah, Georgia)
| Cathedral of St. John the Baptist | |
|---|---|
 The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist | |
 | |
| Address | 222 East Harris Street Savannah, Georgia |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | http://www.savannahcathedral.org |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Ephraim Francis Baldwin |
| Style | French Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv. Most Reverend Kevin Boland, DD |
| Rector | Rev. Monsignor William O. O’Neill, V.F. |
| Vicar(s) | Rev. Luis Fonseca |
| Deacon(s) | Rev. Mr. Dewain E. Smith Rev. Daniel F. Firmin |
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist | |
  | |
| Part of | Savannah Historic District (ID66000277) |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1966[1] |
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic cathedral at 222 East Harris Street, Savannah, Georgia, in the United States. It is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah.
History
The colonial charter of Savannah prohibited Roman Catholics from settling in Savannah. The English trustees feared that Catholics would be more loyal to the Spanish authorities in Florida than to the English government in Georgia. This prohibition faded shortly after the American Revolution. The church's congregation was reorganized about 1796. French Catholic émigrés established the first church in 1799 when they arrived from Haiti after slave rebellions began on that Caribbean island in 1791.[2] A second church was dedicated in 1839 as the number of Catholics increased in Savannah. Construction began on the new Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in 1873 and was completed with the addition of the spires in 1896. The structure was nearly destroyed by fire in 1898 but through diligent effort was rebuilt by 1899. Today the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah includes ninety counties in Middle and Southern Georgia, including such cities as Columbus and Macon.[3]
Gallery
-
A historic photograph of the Cathedral -
Pulpit and communion table at the Cathedral -
Organ pipes located in the balcony of the Cathedral -
Choir Gallery of the Cathedral
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Haïti" article, Le Petit Robert des noms propres (Paris: Dictionnaires Robert, 1994; rev. 1999), p. 918.
- ^ Taken from "The Savannah Walking Tour and Guidebook".
32°04′24″N 81°05′29″W / 32.07333°N 81.09139°W
External links
- Historic district contributing properties in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Roman Catholic churches in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Roman Catholic churches completed in 1896
- 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States
- Churches in Savannah, Georgia
- Roman Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state)