The Cathedral Basilica Foundation

The Cathedral Basilica Foundation Welcome to the page of the Cathedral Basilica Foundation NL (formerly the Basilica Heritage Foundation) at the Cathedral Basilica of St.

John the Baptist, St. John's, NL Canada The Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is a Municipal Heritage Site of the City of St. John's, a Provincial Historic Site with Landmark Status as designated by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, and a National Historic Site of Canada designated by the Government of Canada.

This July, the Cathedral Basilica welcomes That Choir for an evening of professional choral music unlike anything else t...
06/18/2026

This July, the Cathedral Basilica welcomes That Choir for an evening of professional choral music unlike anything else this summer.

Now in its 19th season, That Choir is a Toronto based professional vocal ensemble founded by Newfoundlander Craig Pike. Sixteen singers. Eighteen years of repertoire. One night in St. John's.

The program spans the ensemble's history — highlights from across their career alongside work that reflects who they are today. There are few better places in this country to hear a choir than inside these walls.

July 2 at 7:30 PM. Tickets start at $15, and youth 18 and under get in free with valid ID.

Tickets at https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/that-choir-in-st-johns

High on the west wall of the Cathedral Basilica, just beside the choir loft, a stained glass window has watched over thi...
06/15/2026

High on the west wall of the Cathedral Basilica, just beside the choir loft, a stained glass window has watched over this space since 1891.

Friday was the Feast of the Sacred Heart — the occasion this window was donated to mark, given by the Cathedral Altar Society. And it didn't arrive alone. Between 1885 and 1892, the community came together to fill the clerestory level with light — window by window, donor by donor. It was one of the great fundraising drives in the Basilica's history.

That spirit of collective care is exactly what the Lay a Stone for the Future campaign is calling on today.

The windows are still here. The community still is too.

Support the campaign at the link below:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/lay-a-stone-for-the-future

This September, music returns to the Basilica in a unique way.The Cathedral Basilica Foundation is pleased to welcome Fa...
06/09/2026

This September, music returns to the Basilica in a unique way.

The Cathedral Basilica Foundation is pleased to welcome Father Ray Kelly as part of his 2026 North American tour.

Known internationally for his powerful voice and moving performances, Fr. Ray brings a rare combination of music and vocation to each stage he steps onto.

Set within the scale and atmosphere of the Basilica, this evening will offer an experience shaped as much by place as by sound.

Date: September 24
Location: Cathedral Basilica, St. John’s

More details, including ticket information, will be shared soon.

Look closely at the feet of this figure, and you'll notice something easy to miss — a paper bearing the plans for the Ca...
06/05/2026

Look closely at the feet of this figure, and you'll notice something easy to miss — a paper bearing the plans for the Cathedral Basilica itself.

This is St. Columba, patron saint of Irish emigrants, and the third in a set of three windows on the west side of the nave. Alongside St. Patrick and St. Brigid, the windows were crafted in Beauvais, France by Louis Lichtenheldt Koch and installed in 1891 — commissioned by three Irish immigrants who had built successful lives in St. John's.

St. Columba didn't design the Basilica. But the artist may have been making a deeper point. This Cathedral was a labour of love from an immigrant community — a message to the wider Irish diaspora that you, too, can flourish in new lands far from home.

That story is still held in the glass.

On May 22, 1841, The Newfoundland Vindicator published a list of names.Fishermen. Merchants. Families. Children. Each on...
06/03/2026

On May 22, 1841, The Newfoundland Vindicator published a list of names.

Fishermen. Merchants. Families. Children. Each one recorded alongside the exact amount they had given — in pounds, shillings, and pence — toward the building of the Cathedral Basilica.

Their names were printed for all of Newfoundland to see. And 185 years later, they still exist.

We are sharing them today as a reminder of what this place was built on — and what we are asking you to help carry forward.

Join us in Lay a Stone for the Future.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/lay-a-stone-for-the-future

Caring for a building like this is not a small task.Every part of the Basilica—from its highest ceilings to its smallest...
05/28/2026

Caring for a building like this is not a small task.

Every part of the Basilica—from its highest ceilings to its smallest details—requires attention, planning, and a long-term commitment to getting it right.

There are no shortcuts when it comes to preserving a place of this scale and significance.

It takes time.
It takes expertise.
And it takes a willingness to do the work properly, even when it is complex.

Because this is more than a historic structure.

It is a space that continues to welcome people every day—and it deserves to be cared for at that same level.

Be part of supporting the care and future of the Cathedral Basilica.

A reliquary unlike most.This small devotional case holds relics connected to many saints, each carefully arranged within...
05/26/2026

A reliquary unlike most.

This small devotional case holds relics connected to many saints, each carefully arranged within its ornate interior. Traditionally, reliquaries are dedicated to a single saint, which makes this piece especially rare.

According to historical notes, the relics are believed to represent the Doctors of the Church recognized at the time it was placed in the Basilica.

It was not always on display.

In 1955, during the relocation of the Saint Andrew’s altar to make room for a new organ, this reliquary was discovered. The organ itself was installed in two parts, with the echo organ positioned behind the main altar beneath the Warrington stained glass windows.

Moments like this reveal something deeper about the Basilica.

It is not only a place of architecture, but a place where layers of history continue to surface—through craftsmanship, music, and the stories that remain within its walls.

We’re grateful to NTV News for featuring the Cathedral Basilica Foundation’s “Lay a Stone for the Future” campaign today...
05/22/2026

We’re grateful to NTV News for featuring the Cathedral Basilica Foundation’s “Lay a Stone for the Future” campaign today.

The Cathedral Basilica was built through public generosity in 1841, and this campaign continues that same spirit of community stewardship 185 years later.

Thank you to everyone who has already supported and shared the campaign.

To learn more or make a contribution, visit the link below:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/lay-a-stone-for-the-future

On May 20, 1841, the people of Newfoundland gathered for the laying of the Basilica cornerstone. Before the first stone ...
05/20/2026

On May 20, 1841, the people of Newfoundland gathered for the laying of the Basilica cornerstone.

Before the first stone was laid, more than £2600 had already been raised in a single day to help build the Basilica.

Today, 185 years later, we are asking for your help once again.

The Basilica was built through public generosity.

Its future depends on that same spirit today.

If this place has ever meant something to you, we hope you’ll consider becoming part of its next chapter.

Join us in “Lay a Stone for the Future.”

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/lay-a-stone-for-the-future

In 1841, Bishop Fleming issued special fundraising coins to help build the Basilica. 185 years later, those coins still ...
05/18/2026

In 1841, Bishop Fleming issued special fundraising coins to help build the Basilica.
185 years later, those coins still survive.

They are a reminder that before the Basilica was built stone by stone, it was first built through the generosity of ordinary people who believed this place mattered.

This May 20, we are launching “Lay a Stone for the Future” and inviting a new generation to help carry that story forward.

If the Basilica has ever meant something to you, we hope you’ll consider becoming part of its future.

Address

St. John's, NL

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm
Saturday 8:30am - 6pm
Sunday 8:30am - 8pm

Telephone

+17097542170

Website

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