St Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan NY – America’s Parish Church

While running around Midtown one day in October 2015, we ended up near St Patricks Cathedral. This prominent Catholic church, and landmark, in New York, is decorated in Neo-Gothic-style Roman, and it is beautiful. One of my aunts, and my best friend, are both Catholic, and I have been to Mass with both of them at several different churches. However, I have never been in one as grand as this. To say it is gorgeous would be an understatement. It is absolutely stunning. If you are at Rockefeller  Center, it is very close. It is definitely worth heading over to see before you leave the area.

Before I tell you about our visit, I wanted to share a little history of this incredible cathedral. According to their site, created to affirm the ascendance of religious freedom and tolerance, St Patricks Cathedral was built in the democratic spirit. Not only was it paid for by prominent citizens who allegedly pledged $1000. 00 each, but also by the contributions of thousands of poor immigrants. Work on the cathedral began in 1858 but was halted during the Civil War and resumed in 1865. It was eventually completed in 1878. The Cathedral was formally opened, dedicated, and blessed by Cardinal McCloskey on May 25, 1879

The cathedral, which can accommodate 3,000 people, is built of brick clad in marble, quarried in Massachusetts and New York. It takes up a whole city block, between 50th and 51st streets, Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue. At the transepts, it is 174 feet wide and 332 feet long. The spires rise 330 feet from street level. The slate for the roof came from Monson, Maine. The windows were made by artists in Boston, Massachusetts, and European artists from Chartres, France, and Birmingham, England. Charles Connick created the rose window.

Even before you walk into the St Patrick’s Cathedral you are greeted with beauty as you enter through the bronze doors. Each door weighs 9,200 pounds, and they are so well balanced that they can be opened by a single hand. Carved into their facades are the figures of holy men and women. They were officially dedicated and blessed on December 23, 1949, by Cardinal Spellman.

As I said earlier, the sanctuary is magnificent. It is breathtaking and peaceful even with all the people walking around taking pictures. It is so huge that it doesn’t seem crowded. The thing that was interesting was that there were two altars. One is in the very front of the cathedral and the other sort of near the middle. They are both amazing, but of course, the one in front is stunning.

Artwork throughout St Patricks Cathedral is definitely worth taking a closer look at. The Pietà, sculpted by William Ordway Partridge, is three times larger than Michelangelo’s Pietà. The cathedral’s Stations of the Cross won an 1893 artistry prize at Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition. Commemorating his visit to the city in 1979, Pope John Paul II bust is located in the rear of the cathedral.

You also won’t want to miss the Gallery Organ. It required three years to build at a cost of $250,000 and was dedicated on February 11, 1930. Adorned with angels and Latin inscriptions, it has one of the nation’s most glorious wood facades. It contained 7,855 pipes ranging in length from thirty-two feet to one-half inch. The longest pipes run horizontally across the North and South Triforia.

I am so glad we stopped in to look around, take a few quiet pictures (no flash, of course), and have a peaceful moment. I am not Catholic, but if I were, this is the church that I would want to go to if I lived in New York. St Patricks Cathedral is one of those places you don’t want to miss while in Manhattan. It is remarkable. Here is a link to their website if you are planning a trip to the city and want to see the Cathedral.

St Patricks Cathedral Visitor Information

Address:

5th Avenue between 50th/51st Streets
New York, NY

Phone:

212-753-2261

Hours:

The Cathedral 
Monday – Friday: 6:30 am – 2:00 pm
Saturday: 7:30 am – 6:30 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm 

Parish House Office Hours 
(The Parish House Office is located at 14 East 51st Street) 
Monday-Saturday: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Gift Shops Hours 
In the Cathedral:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Storefront at 15 East 51st Street:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Tours:

The Official Tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral is guided by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Monsignor Robert Ritchie. They are held daily from 9 am – 1 pm.

Tour s are offered in: 

🇺🇸   English
🇫🇷   French
🇪🇸   Spanish
🇮🇹   Italian
🇧🇷   Portuguese 

Pertinent Information:

They ask all of our visitors to remember that they are in a house of God.  This includes dress, language, actions, and volume. Visitors who are taking tours are also asked to use headphones to not disrupt a mass service, or even those just quietly praying.  The daily schedule for mass can be found at www.saintpatrickscathedral.org/daily-mass-devotions. 

Mass Times:

For those looking to attend Mass in person, we currently hold a small number of Masses throughout the week. Hours below

Monday – Friday: 7:00 AM & 12:00 Noon
Saturday: 8:00 AM, 12:00 Noon & 5:30 PM
Sunday: 10:15 AM, 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM

Directions:

6 train to 51st St station
E, M trains to 5th Ave – 53rd St station
B, D, F, M to 47th-50th Sts – Rockefeller Ctr station

By Bus

M1, M2, M3 southbound on 5th Ave and northbound on Madison Ave