Saint Patrick Cathedral - 1920

Located downtown, the Cathedral is a work of art and it is an El Paso, Texas historical landmark. The construction began when the first stone was laid and blessed by Father Edward Barry S.J. and Father Francis Roy, S.J. on July 31, 1914, the feast day of Saint Ignatius Loyola and was dedicated Thanksgiving Day November 29,1917. The St. Louis architectural firm of Barnett, Haynes, and Barnett designed the church. The contractors were Kroeger, Mayfield and Shaw of El Paso. The style is a blend of Byzantine and Romanesque architecture. Together, the clergy and townspeople built the Cathedral as a beautiful expression of Faith that provided an uplifting environment for Catholic worship and an inspiring place for private prayer. Whether you have come to pray or simply to view the beauty, we hope you are nourished in spirit and will return again to the Cathedral of Saint Patrick. On April 3, 1914, the Vatican under Pope Pius X elevated and established El Paso as a Diocese. In June, 1915, after the death of Pope Pius X, Pope Benedict XV appointed Rev. Anthony J. Schuler, S.J., as the first Bishop of the Diocese of El Paso. Bishop Schuler announced that upon his arrival in El Paso he planned to take the new St. Patrick Church as his Cathedral. http://saintpatrickcathedral.org/history/