If you're spending time in downtown Chicago, there's one church you definitely shouldn't miss. No wonder why Holy Name Cathedral is such a popular spot for visitors and locals alike. Just look at it!
Holy Name is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the oldest Catholic cathedral in the city. But before it stood where it stands now, there were two other Catholic churches that came first.
The first was the Cathedral of Saint Mary, built in 1843 at Madison Street and Wabash Avenue. It had a simple Gothic Revival design and served as the main Catholic church in the city when Chicago’s Catholic population was just starting to grow.
Then in 1854, another church—Holy Name Church—was built on North State Street. This one was a Jesuit parish, built to help serve the increasing number of Catholics in the city.
Both churches were made mostly of wood, which was common back then for new buildings. Unfortunately, less than 30 years after they were built, both were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
After that, there was a clear need for something bigger, stronger, and definitely more fireproof. So the city got to work on building what would become Holy Name Cathedral. It was designed by architect Patrick Charles Keely in a classic Gothic Revival style, using limestone and brick with a steel-tile roof. It’s got beautiful stained glass and lots of detailed woodwork. The whole place seats over 1,000 people and has a 210-foot-tall spire that’s hard to miss.
Holy Name was officially dedicated in 1875 and became the new seat of the Archdiocese of Chicago—and the home church of the archbishop.
There are a lot of cool details packed into this cathedral, if you know where to look. The huge bronze doors at the entrance weigh over 1,000 pounds each and are covered in intricate carvings. The inside follows a “Tree of Life” theme, which you can see in the patterns of the woodwork and ceiling. Above the altar is a giant Resurrection crucifix made by Italian artist Ivo Demetz that kind of floats over the sanctuary.
And the organ? It’s incredible.
Over the years, Holy Name Cathedral has been the site of some big events. In 1926, it hosted part of the International Eucharistic Congress—the biggest religious gathering in the U.S. at the time. In 1979, Pope John Paul II even stopped by for a prayer service during his U.S. visit.
The building has had its struggles, too. In 2009, a fire damaged the roof and parts of the interior, but thankfully it was repaired and reopened later that same year.
Just recently, in 2024, the cathedral celebrated its 175th anniversary! The City of Chicago even proclaimed November 18th “Holy Name Cathedral Day,” and Cardinal Cupich led special Masses to mark the occasion.
So when you’re standing in front of Holy Name, or walking through its peaceful, echoey interior, you’re not just seeing a beautiful church. You’re stepping into over 175 years of Chicago’s Catholic history.