Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called the Baltimore Basilica, was the first Roman Catholic cathedral
built in the United States
, and was the first major religious building constructed in the nation after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution
. As a co-cathedral
, it is one of the seats of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
in Baltimore, Maryland. It is considered the masterpiece of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the "Father of American Architecture".
's Architect of the U.S. Capitol
; under the guidance of America's first Bishop, John Carroll
. The Basilica was later consecrated on May 31, 1821, by the third Archbishop of Baltimore, Ambrose Maréchal
.
Pope Pius XI
raised the Cathedral to the rank of a Minor Basilica
in 1937. In 1969, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, and further, in 1971, it was declared a National Historic Landmark
. It is also the namesake of the Cathedral Hill Historic District. In 1993, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
designated the Basilica a National Shrine.
Many famous events have occurred within its walls, including the funeral Mass of Charles Carroll of Carrollton
, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence
. Most of the first bishops of the American Church were consecrated here to fill the ever multiplying dioceses necessitated by the great waves of immigration and nation building that were emblematic of the 19th century. Seven Provincial Councils
and Three Plenary Councils
were held here in the 19th century, assuring the Roman Catholic Church
would remain of one mind and heart despite its ever-growing and widely scattered flock. These Councils set the course for the Catholic Church in America through the 19th century by establishing the Catholic School System; founding the Catholic University of America; and calling for the evangelization of African and Native Americans. The Third Plenary Council, which was the largest meeting of Catholic Bishops held outside Rome
since the Council of Trent
, commissioned the famous Baltimore Catechism
.
Until recent years, more priests were ordained at the Baltimore Basilica than in any other church in the United States.
The Basilica has welcomed millions of visitors in her 200 years, including Pope John Paul II
in 1995, Blessed Mother Teresa
of Calcutta in 1996, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
in 1997. Many holy individuals are associated with the Basilica, including Mother Mary Lange
, Foundress of the Oblate Sisters of Providence
, the first order for Catholic nuns of African-American descent; Father Michael J. McGivney, Founder of the Knights of Columbus
, who was ordained at the Basilica in 1877 by Archbishop James Gibbons; St. John Neumann
, who is credited with founding America's Catholic School System; as well as visits from at least 20 other saints or potential saints.
-style building designed in conformity to a Latin cross basilica
plan — a departure on Latrobe’s part from previous American church architecture, but in keeping with longstanding European traditions of cathedral design. The plan unites two distinct elements: a longitudinal axis and a domed space.
with Ionic columns
arranged in double hexastyle pattern, immediately behind which rise a pair of cylindrical towers. Architectural historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock
believed that the onion-shaped dome
s atop the two towers were “not of Latrobe's design,” but now it is believed that they "were entirely the architect's own."
The exterior walls are constructed of silver-gray gneiss
quarried near Ellicott City, Maryland
.
suggested a wooden double-shell dome (of a type pioneered by French master builder Philibert Delorme) with 24 half-visible skylights. For the inner dome Latrobe created a solid, classically detailed masonry hemisphere. Grids of plaster rosettes adorn its coffered ceiling.
of the Latin cross plan, creating a centralizing effect which contrasts the exterior impression of a linear or oblong building. Surrounding the main dome is a sophisticated system of barrel vaults and shallow, saucer-like secondary domes.
The light-filled interior designed by Latrobe was striking in contrast to the dark, cavernous recesses of traditional Gothic cathedrals.
A 32-month, $34 million restoration project was completed in 2006. The restoration included a total incorporation of modern systems throughout the building, while also restoring the interior to Latrobe's original design. Many "misguided accretions" were corrected. Twenty four skylights in the main dome were re-opened, and the stained glass windows (installed in the 1940s) were replaced with clear glass windows. The original wall colors (pale yellow, blue, and rose) were restored, as was the light-colored marble flooring which for decades had been a dark green color.
Additionally, the Basilica's crypt was made open to the public, as well as the expansive masonry undercroft
(basement) of the church. The undercroft, until now, was filled with sand from the original building of the cathedral, which prevented Carroll and Latrobe's vision of a Chapel in the undercroft. During the restoration, the tons of sand were removed, and the Our Lady Seat of Wisdom
Chapel was finally realized.
Cardinal William Keeler
, Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore, and one of the many champions of the restoration project, completed the restoration without dipping into the coffers of the Archdiocese, instead using private funds donated for the sole purpose of the restoration. It was closed to the public from November 2004 through November 2006, reopening in time for the Basilica's Bicentennial and the biannual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
, which was held in Baltimore to mark the occasion.
Eight of the twelve deceased Archbishops of Baltimore are laid to rest in the Basilica's historic crypt. The crypt is located beneath the main altar, next to the Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel, and is accessible to the public. Resting in the crypt are:
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
built in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and was the first major religious building constructed in the nation after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. As a co-cathedral
Co-cathedral
A co-cathedral is a cathedral church which shares the function of being a bishop's seat, or cathedra, with another cathedral. Instances of this occurred in England before the Protestant Reformation in the dioceses of Bath and Wells, and of Coventry and Lichfield, hence the names of these dioceses...
, it is one of the seats of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
in Baltimore, Maryland. It is considered the masterpiece of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the "Father of American Architecture".
History
The Basilica was constructed (1806–1821) to a design of Benjamin Henry Latrobe — America's first professionally trained architect and Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
's Architect of the U.S. Capitol
Architect of the Capitol
The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, and also the head of that agency. The Architect of the Capitol is in the legislative branch and is responsible to the United States...
; under the guidance of America's first Bishop, John Carroll
John Carroll (bishop)
John Carroll, was the first Roman Catholic bishop and archbishop in the United States — serving as the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He is also known as the founder of Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic university in the United States, and St...
. The Basilica was later consecrated on May 31, 1821, by the third Archbishop of Baltimore, Ambrose Maréchal
Ambrose Maréchal
Most Reverend Ambrose Maréchal, S.S. was the third Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland.Motto: Auspice Maria; "Under the protection of Mary."Ambrose Maréchal was born at Ingré near Orléans, France, on August 28, 1764...
.
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
raised the Cathedral to the rank of a Minor Basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
in 1937. In 1969, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and further, in 1971, it was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. It is also the namesake of the Cathedral Hill Historic District. In 1993, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
designated the Basilica a National Shrine.
Many famous events have occurred within its walls, including the funeral Mass of Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was a wealthy Maryland planter and an early advocate of independence from Great Britain. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and later as United States Senator for Maryland...
, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
. Most of the first bishops of the American Church were consecrated here to fill the ever multiplying dioceses necessitated by the great waves of immigration and nation building that were emblematic of the 19th century. Seven Provincial Councils
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
and Three Plenary Councils
Plenary Councils of Baltimore
The Plenary Councils of Baltimore were three national meetings of Roman Catholic bishops in the 19th century in Baltimore, Maryland.During the early history of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States all of the dioceses were part of one ecclesiastical province under the Archbishop of Baltimore...
were held here in the 19th century, assuring the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
would remain of one mind and heart despite its ever-growing and widely scattered flock. These Councils set the course for the Catholic Church in America through the 19th century by establishing the Catholic School System; founding the Catholic University of America; and calling for the evangelization of African and Native Americans. The Third Plenary Council, which was the largest meeting of Catholic Bishops held outside Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
since the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, commissioned the famous Baltimore Catechism
Baltimore Catechism
A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, Prepared and Enjoined by Order of the Third Council of Baltimore was the de facto standard Catholic school text in the United States from 1885 to the late 1960s....
.
Until recent years, more priests were ordained at the Baltimore Basilica than in any other church in the United States.
The Basilica has welcomed millions of visitors in her 200 years, including Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in 1995, Blessed Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
of Calcutta in 1996, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I is the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, and thus "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, since 2 November 1991...
in 1997. Many holy individuals are associated with the Basilica, including Mother Mary Lange
Mother Mary Lange
Servant of God Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, was the foundress of the Oblate Sisters of Providence. Elizabeth was born in 1784, a native of Cuba, her country of birth is not documented but oral tradition says she was born in Haiti and moved with her family to Cuba.The Oblate Sisters of Providence...
, Foundress of the Oblate Sisters of Providence
Oblate Sisters of Providence
The Oblate Sisters of Providence is a Roman Catholic women religious order, founded by Mother Mary Lange, OSP]], and Rev. James Nicholas Joubert, SS in 1829 in Baltimore, Maryland for the education of girls of color. It has the distinction of being the first Roman Catholic religious order began for...
, the first order for Catholic nuns of African-American descent; Father Michael J. McGivney, Founder of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
, who was ordained at the Basilica in 1877 by Archbishop James Gibbons; St. John Neumann
John Neumann
Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, C.Ss.R., was a Redemptorist missionary to the United States who became the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia and the first American bishop to be canonized...
, who is credited with founding America's Catholic School System; as well as visits from at least 20 other saints or potential saints.
Architecture
The Cathedral is a monumental neoclassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
-style building designed in conformity to a Latin cross basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
plan — a departure on Latrobe’s part from previous American church architecture, but in keeping with longstanding European traditions of cathedral design. The plan unites two distinct elements: a longitudinal axis and a domed space.
Exterior
The main facade is a classical Greek porticoGreek temple
Greek temples were structures built to house deity statues within Greek sanctuaries in Greek paganism. The temples themselves did usually not directly serve a cult purpose, since the sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the respective deity took place outside them...
with Ionic columns
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
arranged in double hexastyle pattern, immediately behind which rise a pair of cylindrical towers. Architectural historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock
Henry-Russell Hitchcock
Henry-Russell Hitchcock was the leading American architectural historian of his generation. A long-time professor at Smith College and New York University, he is best known for writings that helped to define Modern architecture.-Biography:...
believed that the onion-shaped dome
Onion dome
An onion dome is a dome whose shape resembles the onion, after which they are named. Such domes are often larger in diameter than the drum upon which they are set, and their height usually exceeds their width...
s atop the two towers were “not of Latrobe's design,” but now it is believed that they "were entirely the architect's own."
The exterior walls are constructed of silver-gray gneiss
Gneiss
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks.-Etymology:...
quarried near Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The population was 65,834 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Howard County...
.
Dome
Latrobe originally planned a masonry dome with a lantern on top, but his friend Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
suggested a wooden double-shell dome (of a type pioneered by French master builder Philibert Delorme) with 24 half-visible skylights. For the inner dome Latrobe created a solid, classically detailed masonry hemisphere. Grids of plaster rosettes adorn its coffered ceiling.
Interior
The interior is occupied by a massive dome at the crossingCrossing (architecture)
A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform church.In a typically oriented church , the crossing gives access to the nave on the west, the transept arms on the north and south, and the choir on the east.The crossing is sometimes surmounted by a tower...
of the Latin cross plan, creating a centralizing effect which contrasts the exterior impression of a linear or oblong building. Surrounding the main dome is a sophisticated system of barrel vaults and shallow, saucer-like secondary domes.
The light-filled interior designed by Latrobe was striking in contrast to the dark, cavernous recesses of traditional Gothic cathedrals.
21st century restoration
Additionally, the Basilica's crypt was made open to the public, as well as the expansive masonry undercroft
Undercroft
An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. In modern usage, an undercroft is generally a ground area which is relatively open to the sides, but covered by the building above.- History :While some...
(basement) of the church. The undercroft, until now, was filled with sand from the original building of the cathedral, which prevented Carroll and Latrobe's vision of a Chapel in the undercroft. During the restoration, the tons of sand were removed, and the Our Lady Seat of Wisdom
Seat of Wisdom
In the Roman Catholic tradition, the epithet "the Seat of Wisdom" or "Throne of Wisdom" is identified with one of many devotional titles for the Mother of God...
Chapel was finally realized.
Cardinal William Keeler
William Henry Keeler
William Henry Keeler is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1989 to 2007 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1994....
, Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore, and one of the many champions of the restoration project, completed the restoration without dipping into the coffers of the Archdiocese, instead using private funds donated for the sole purpose of the restoration. It was closed to the public from November 2004 through November 2006, reopening in time for the Basilica's Bicentennial and the biannual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
, which was held in Baltimore to mark the occasion.
Notable interments
- John CarrollJohn Carroll (bishop)John Carroll, was the first Roman Catholic bishop and archbishop in the United States — serving as the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He is also known as the founder of Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic university in the United States, and St...
, first Bishop of the United States. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from November 6, 1789 until December 3, 1815. - Ambrose Maréchal, S.S.Ambrose MaréchalMost Reverend Ambrose Maréchal, S.S. was the third Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland.Motto: Auspice Maria; "Under the protection of Mary."Ambrose Maréchal was born at Ingré near Orléans, France, on August 28, 1764...
, third Archbishop of Baltimore. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from July 4, 1817 until January 29, 1828. - James WhitfieldJames Whitfield (bishop)James Whitfield was an English-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1828 until his death in 1834.-Biography:...
, fourth Archbishop of Baltimore. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from January 29, 1828 until October 19, 1834. - Samuel Eccleston, P.S.S.Samuel EcclestonSamuel Eccleston, P.S.S. was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fifth Archbishop of Baltimore from 1834 until his death in 1851.-Early life:...
, fifth Archbishop of Baltimore. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from October 19, 1834 until April 22, 1851. - Francis Patrick KenrickFrancis KenrickFrancis Patrick Kenrick was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third Bishop of Philadelphia and the sixth Archbishop of Baltimore .-Early life and education:...
, sixth Archbishop of Baltimore. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from August 19, 1851 until July 8, 1863. - Martin John SpaldingMartin John SpaldingMartin John Spalding was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Louisville and Archbishop of Baltimore .-Early life and education:...
, seventh Archbishop of Baltimore. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from May 6, 1864 until February 7, 1872. - James Gibbons, ninth Archbishop of Baltimore. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from October 3, 1877 until March 24, 1921.
- Michael Joseph CurleyMichael Joseph CurleyMichael Joseph Curley was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. Originally a priest and bishop in the Diocese of St...
, tenth Archbishop of Baltimore. Served as Archbishop of Baltimore from August 10, 1921 until May 16, 1947.
See also
- Top eight Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the US
External links
- Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Basilica page on the Baltimore Collective
- National Historic Landmark Listing
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
- Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption: Photo Gallery by The Catholic Photographer