CINCINNATI — The Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains will now go by the name Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains after Pope Francis granted the title of Minor Basilica to the church, Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr announced Saturday.
According to the archdiocese, the title is reserved for churches around the world with significant historical or cultural importance and artistic beauty and reflects a closer relationship to the Pope. Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains now becomes the 89th basilica in the United States.
Mayor John Cranley spoke at the announcement. He said the large number of Catholics in the region have made the Cincinnati area the great place it is to live.
“From starting the major hospitals that have cared for the sick, to feeding the hungry and helping the poor, to educating generations of Catholics who have risen out of poverty and to the heights of civic and business leadership, the Catholic Church has provided a living testament to its core beliefs. This Basilica has served as a beautiful physical embodiment -- a sort of Statue of Liberty -- of these good works and serves as an ever-present reminder to Catholic Cincinnatians that they have a proud spiritual home."
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine spoke to the history of the cathedral in a statement Saturday.
"The cathedral is one of the oldest operating Roman Catholic cathedrals in the United States, and it is a historic place special to Cincinnati and to Ohio."
Construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains began on May 20, 1841 and was formally dedicated on November 2, 1845.
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington is the closest cathedral in the area to share the designation.
