Cathedral of Saint Louis King of France, A Minor Basilica established
as a Parish in 1720 in New Orleans, Louisiana
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The
Saint Louis Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Louis King of France, A Minor Basilica established as a Parish in 1720 in New Orleans, Louisiana |
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Early History |
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The St. Louis Cathedral is one of New Orleans' most notable landmarks. This venerable building, its triple steeples towering above its historic neighbors, the Cabildo and the Presbytere - looks down benignly on the green of the Square and General Andrew Jackson on his bronze horse and on the block-long Pontalba Buildings with their lacy ironwork galleries. Truly, this is the heart of old New Orleans.
Since 1727 New Orleanians have worshipped in churches on this site. Half a dozen
years earlier, the French engineer, Adrien De Pauger, who arrived in the newly founded
city on March 29, 1721, designated this site for a church in conformity with the plan of
the Engineer-in-Chief of Louisiana, LeBlond de la Tour, who was at the capital, Biloxi.
The new parish church, dedicated to Louis IX, sainted King of France, was thus perhaps the first building in New Orleans of "brick between posts" (bnquete entre poteaux) construction, an effective method of building that continued to be used in Louisiana until at least the middle of the nineteenth century. De Pauger, unfortunately, died on June 21, 1726, before his church was completed. In his will he requested that he be buried within the unfinished building, a request presumably granted.
During the six decades that the church stood, there worshipped within its walls French Governors Perier, Bienville, Vaudreuil and Kerlerec and Spanish Governors Unzaga, Galvez and Miro. In this first little church were baptized the children of the colonists and the children of the slaves. Here were married the lowly and the highborn, and through its doors were borne the mortal remains of the faithful for the burial rites of Holy Mother Church on the last journey to the little cemetery on St. Peter Street.
The following are the names of persons buried under the church, before it was built and since.
| 1721.- M. Alias (Helias), Director of the Law concessions. 1723.- M. Sauvoy, Royal Commissary. 1726.- M. Pauger, Knight of St. Louis, Chief Engineer, (the same who made the plan of the city.) 1730.- M. de Ia Chaise, Commissary Royal and Director of the Company. 1734.- Rev. F. Raphael, Superior of the Capuchins. 1737.- Rev. F. Phillippe, his successor. 1745.- Madame Noyant, and 1751, her husband, Lieutenant of the King. 1750.- Rev. F. Charles, Superior of the Capuchins. 1751.- Rev. F. Matthias, parish priest. 1752.- M. Chauvin, Trustee in active service. 1752.- M. Michel, Commissary of the Navy and acting Intendant. |
| Please consider visiting: where you can purchase our soft cover book on the history of the Cathedral |
