Historic Churches in St. Augustine, Florida
St Augustine is America’s oldest city, and thus dates back centuries and holds some deeply rooted history in the heart of the Old City. One of our favorite pieces of St. Augustine’s history is the churches, many of which were founded by the city’s earliest settlers. Just stepping into these historic buildings brings forth a sense of awe and wonderment. It also helps to understand and frame St. Augustine’s history, which was dramatically shaped by the establishment of these churches.
Here, we’ve listed five of our favorite historic churches. Come explore these beautiful and historic churches with us next time you stay at the St. Francis Inn in St. Augustine.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
Of all the historic churches in St. Augustine, this one is probably the most spectacular. Located on the central plaza, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine is home to the oldest parish of a permanent European settlement in the country. The Cathedral Parish dates to the founding of St. Augustine in 1565, when the Spanish settlers celebrated a Mass upon coming ashore.
The first of the churches built for this parish was recorded as having been built at the southeastern corner of today’s Plaza. Over the years, battles and fires required the parish to be housed in different locations around the city. In 1786 the Spanish crown ordered the construction of a new parish church. The cornerstone was laid in 1793 and the church of the Immaculate Conception opened in August 1797.
The Diocese of St. Augustine was established in 1870, and the parish church was elevated to the level of a Cathedral. In 1887 the Moorish-style building was burned when a fire spread from the nearby St. Augustine Hotel. Through a national appeal for funds, the Cathedral was able to be restored, enlarged and reopened in 1888. The bell tower was also built and added grandeur to the architecture.
The Cathedral remained much the same architecturally as the city approached 1965, the 400th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine. A major renovation was commissioned as the Diocese’s contribution to the quadricentennial. A Blessed Sacrament Chapel was added, as well as murals of Florida’s Catholic history by artist Hugo Ohlms, and a new tabernacle. In 1976, Pope Paul VI designated the church as a Minor Basilica, the 27th of all American churches to be honored as such. The Cathedral Basilica is also a National Historic Landmark.
Today “America’s FIrst Parish” continues over 450 years of history in the United States, offering Mass and parish activities to residents and visitors. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine is located at 38 Cathedral Place, St. Augustine FL. There is a Gift Shop of religious items located in the Bell Tower.
Mission Nombre de Dios
This park features a giant steel cross commemorating the 1565 landing of Pedro Menendez de Aviles and the history of the Mission Nombre de Dios, which later moved to this site. It was on these grounds that Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales, chaplain of Pedro Menendez’s expedition, presented a cross to Menendez, celebrated the first parish Mass and began the work at America’s first mission.
The Great Cross rises 208 ft. above the marshes of the Matanzas River. On the grounds are a historic cemetery, commemorative stone shrine, the site of one of St. Augustine’s later forts, and walking paths providing beautiful views of the bay, marshes and original settlement site. The Mission Nombre de Dios grounds and Gift Shop are open to visitors daily at no cost. Located at 27 Ocean Ave St. Augustine, FL.
St. Photios Orthodox National Shrine
The final building on our list of historic churches to see is the St. Photios Orthodox Shrine. The shrine was dedicated to the first colony of Greek people who came to Florida in 1768, ad it exhibits the life of early Greeks in America, along with the the development of the Greek Orthodox Church in America.
St. Photios Chapel is magnificent, with Byzantine style religious frescoes of the life of Christ, painted directly on the walls and domes, vibrating with abundant use of 22 karat gold leaf. Historic exhibits include artifacts, photographs and historical documents of the First Greek Colony in the New World.
Located in the historic Avero House, on the National Register of Historic Places, which is where 291 colonists seeking refuge from the demise of the New Smyrna plantation colony gathered in 1777. The English, who governed St. Augustine at the time, offered this Spanish house as a place for solace, prayer, and fellowship to the colonists. These pioneers were the first permanent settlement of Greeks on the continent.
Open daily 9:00 am-5:00 pm, except for major holidays. Located at 41 St. George St., St. Augustine, FL.
