History of the Cathedral Parish

The roots of the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Augustine, or Cathedral Parish as we call it, began with the sighting of the Florida coast by Admiral Don Pedro Menendez de Cavilers on August 28, 1565, the Feast of Saint Augustine of Hippo. Menendez and his party began landing on September 6, at a spot they called Nombre de Dios (name of God). Menendez himself landed on September 8, and a Mass was celebrated giving thanks to God for the journey. The day was the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. The Spaniards then set about establishing a settlement, which Menendez named St. Augustine, in honor of the saint on whose feast day they had first seen land.

This was, in fact, the beginning of the parish community of St. Augustine, which has continued unbroken from that day in 1565 when Father Francisco Lopez celebrated that first Mass, and the beginning of the oldest permanent European-founded city in the present United States. Other significant events in the parish history include:

1566-72 Jesuits arrive, fail to convert the Indians, return to Mexico.

1573 Franciscan missionaries begin their work with the Indians

1586 Sir Francis Drake raids St. Augustine, raids parish church

1680-1708 The Spanish missions are totally destroyed by the English and their Indians allies to the north

1696 Fort at St. Augustine, Castillo de San Marcos, completed

1702 Carolina Governor James Moore attacks St. Augustine. All 1,500 soldiers and citizens flee to fort. City burned; chapel of la Soledad hospital serves as parish church until 1763

1763 Treaty of Paris gives Florida to England; 3100 Spaniards leave.

1777 Minorcans, with their priest, Father Camps from New Smyrna seek asylum in St. Augustine

1784 Spain gets Florida from England. Spaniards return to a ruined city and dilapidated church

1793 Cornerstone of new church (first stage of present cathedral) is laid.

1797 Church is completed in August; formal dedication is December 8

1819 The United States acquires Florida, and claims all Church property

1823 Bishop John England of Charleston, negotiates return of the church and cemetery to Catholics of St. Augustine

1857 Florida east of Apalachicola River is made Vicariate Apostolic

1858 Bishop Augustin Verot arrives in St. Augustine

1866 Sisters of St. Joseph establish a province in St. Augustine

1870 Diocese of St. Augustine formally erected

1887 Cathedral burns, walls and facade left standing

1888 Cathedral rebuilt, with addition of wings and bell tower

In 1965, to commemorate the 400 th anniversary of the first Mass, Archbishop Hurley, 6 th Bishop of St. Augustine, commissions the renovation, enlarging and remodeling of the Cathedral, the construction of the Prince of Peace Votive Chapel at the mission grounds, and the construction of a twenty-story high illuminated cross.

In 1976 the Cathedral was elevated to a Minor Basilica, by His Holiness Pope Paul VI.