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The southeastern states boast the Bible belt, but also a strong Catholic history that predates the arrival of Protestant Christians on American shores. Marginalized for their faith, Catholics of the southeast nevertheless have built some of the country’s most beautiful churches for the glory of God.
Old St. Patrick’s Church, the first parish to be established outside the original borders of New Orleans, dates back to 1840. Facing several construction headaches along the way, the church now features a high altar, a permanent kneeling altar rail, and several large murals. In 1915, the building suffered major damages due to a hurricane, but decades later, it was returned to its former glory through detailed restoration. The Department of the Interior designated Old St. Patrick’s a National Historic Landmark in 1975.
Founded as a Franciscan pilgrimage site, the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament is consecrated to perpetual adoration. Next to the main church, which resembles the architecture of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy, is Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, where the Poor Clare Nuns live a cloistered life. Upon entering the Shrine, which is decorated primarily in white and gold, visitors are awestruck by the enormous 8-foot monstrance, where the Lord is perpetually exposed in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Marked by two large crosses on either side, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception was the first Catholic parish on the Gulf coast. Overlooking Cathedral Square in Mobile, Alabama, the historic church contains a veiled tabernacle and many German-made stained glass windows depicting the mysteries of the Rosary. The cathedral has undergone extensive renovation over the last two decades, and is now open for prayer and daily Mass.
The Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel is a three-story, Gothic church featuring arched windows and doorways, with spire-topped towers of differing heights on the corners of the building. The 1886 building is a prominent landmark in Pensacola, FL, even earning a spot on the National Register of historic places. With very few renovations being made to the original church, much of the Gothic architecture is original to the structure.
Built in 1876 after decades of planning, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah, GA, features vivid colors, pointed arches, and an array of French Gothic architectural elements. The church has two soaring spires on either side of its entrance, and is a marble altar in the nave. The church has been renovated many times since its construction, and most recently named a minor basilica in 2020 by Pope Francis.
The 80-year project of building the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis in Missouri was well worth the wait. Completed in 1988, the most recent addition to the cathedral is its Sacred Heart of Jesus Shrine, located in the west transept. The building features a Blessed Sacrament Chapel, a mosaic shrine to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, circular sacristy, a Blessed Virgin Chapel, an All Saints Chapel, and a Mosaic Museum, as well as many other mosaics throughout the Church. One of the most striking aspects of the basilica is that each generation is able to add its imprint through changes and additions to the infrastructure. Take a virtual tour here.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Macon, GA, welcomes its many visitors with twin sire towers, flanking an eye-catching circular stained glass window. Inside, the church has turned the typical Mary and Joseph statues into stunning masterpieces, backed by vivid mosaics, which bring out the beauty of the sculptures. The blue, white, and gold interior blends especially well, bringing attention to the seemingly glowing altar.
With the largest freestanding elliptical dome in the country, the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville, NC, was designed by Spanish Architect Raphael Guastavino. The vestibule is separated from the pews by screens of leather and stained glass and contains a veiled tabernacle as well as a beautiful depiction of Mary and St. John at the foot of the main crucifix above the altar. The church has a Eucharistic Adoration Chapel and a Marian Chapel, complete with stained glass windows made in Germany.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, located in Altus, AR, atop St. Mary’s Mountain, was built in 1902 by Swiss-German settlers and is particularly known for its Sistine Chapel-style paintings and grand Roman Basilica architecture. The exterior of the Church is made up of rustic brownstone blocks, while the interior is plated with ornate gold leaf, interrupted only by the gorgeous stained glass windows. This sacred space is completed by a jaw-dropping view of Mount Magazine upon exiting the front doors.
Recognized as an architectural masterpiece among Catholic churches of the South, St. Mary’s Basilica in Natchez, MS, contains three marble altars, a communion rail, and an episcopal chair. The church has been renovated several times since its completion in 1882, but still maintains its French Gothic revival theme. The brick church’s central square tower is topped with a spire embedded into the structure, which features arched doorways throughout. The tabernacle stands below a beautiful painting of the Crucifixion, with the Blessed Mother beneath the Cross.
Do you love the Catholic churches of the Southeast? What are your favorites? Leave their names and locations in the comments below!