St. Louis Cathedral
Saint Louis Cathedral · St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans · Cathédrale Saint-Louis de La Nouvelle-Orléans
About
The dedication to Saint Louis honours King Louis IX of France, who reigned in the thirteenth century and was canonised in 1297 for his piety, charity and the integrity of his Christian governance. Cathedrals raised in his name today form a global family of sanctuaries spanning Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Mediterranean.
In France, two of the foremost dedications stand at Versailles and within the Hôtel des Invalides, the great Parisian foundation built by Louis XIV for veterans of his armies. Further French-speaking dedications follow the path of the empire to Fort-de-France in Martinique, to Port-Louis in Mauritius, and to Saint-Louis in Senegal.
The Mediterranean and the Near East offer their own Saint Louis sanctuaries. Carthage in Tunisia retains the great Acropolium once dedicated to Saint Louis upon the hill where the king was said to have died on crusade. Cathedrals in Beirut, Haifa and elsewhere serve Latin-rite communities of the Levant, while a small but historic Catholic cathedral stands in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
In the United States, two foundations of the same name reflect the French colonial heritage of Louisiana: the St. Louis Cathedral of New Orleans, the oldest continuously active cathedral in the country, and the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis in Missouri, whose interior bears one of the largest mosaic collections in the Western Hemisphere.
History
A third parish church rose on this site after fire destroyed its predecessor in 1788, was designated cathedral of the newly erected Diocese of Louisiana in 1793, and was dedicated in 1794. The building was almost entirely rebuilt between 1849 and 1851 to plans by architect J. N. B. de Pouilly, whose central tower collapsed mid construction and had to be raised again before Archbishop Antoine Blanc could bless the finished cathedral.
Significance
Named for the crusader king Louis IX of France, canonised for his piety and his care of the poor, the cathedral has stood at the civic and spiritual heart of New Orleans through Spanish, French, and American rule alike. It remains the seat of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, its three steeples rising behind Jackson Square as they have since 1851.
Architecture
Eclectic mix of Greek Revival, Gothic, and Renaissance motifs from the 1849-1851 reconstruction
Visiting
Daily worship
| Daily Mass (Monday-Friday) | 12:05 to | |
| Vigil Mass (Saturday) | 16:00 to | |
| Sunday Mass | 09:00 to | |
| Sunday Mass | 11:00 to |
Hours
Hours not listed.
Contact
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Festivals & Events
- Invalid Date
Feast of Saint Louis
Invalid Date · annual · next: 25 August 2026
The cathedral keeps the feast of its patron, King Louis IX of France, canonised for his justice, his crusades, and his care of the poor and the sick.
Gallery
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