St. Francis Cathedral, Santa Fe

I remember as a lilgirl seeing the stain glass window and standing in the chruch and having this feeling come over me and to this day I still have that feeling,and I want my husband and children to experience that feeling,Signed still a lilgirls eyes and Heart.

The Basilica of St. Francis is one of the gems of American Church Architecture. I have lived all over he U.S. and Europe and I suggest that this Cathedral compares favorably with the Basicilica of the Assumption in Baltimore and Holy Name of Jesus in New Orleans as well as St. Louis Cathedral in N.O. All of the elements, stained glass, altar panels in gold, statuary, baptismal font, altar,etc., are beautifully appointed. The entire interior of the Cathedral gives you an old world feeling....as though you were in the classic churches of Europe. More than merely a tourist photo op, It is a wonderful place to come to experience a place of prayer and faith. To really understand this Cathedral, you have to be there for a Sunday mass....or a festival mass. This experience takes you far beyond merely touring and viewing. It puts you in a place of prayer, with a faith community that has worshipped on the spot for hundreds of years. You will feel the devotion, and much more....I can only say that after visiting this Cathedral for the past 15 years, I still look forward to being in Santa Fe and a visit to St. Francis on Sundays. It continues to draw me back and to bring a sense of peace, beauty and mystery.

I loved the Cathedral. Just to know that we attended Mass in a church that is almost 400 yrs old--is really something. I would go back in a heart-beat. Santa Fe is a great city with alot of culture and art. The city is very inspiring.You actually feel like you've taken part in the history of this country when you visit.

The sculptures outside of the cathedral are wonderful. If you get a chance walk around the cathedral to the side and visit the shrines. As for the inside, that was an odd experience for me. I even researched when I arrived home to see if I was the only person to have such a profound reaction. And, well, I am. The moment I stepped inside the cathedral, I felt an overwhelming sadness. In fact, it seemed that most people who made it past the fountain (in the center of the cathedral), stopped and had to rest. Very hard to explain, and I even went back a second time, during mass, and had to leave again. We also visited Loretto Chapel and San Miguel, neither of which gave off such an eerie vibe. Still a beautiful cathedral and I would visit again.

I loved the food! Oh man, I had heard about the southwest cooking but this was incredible. On the Plaza are more than 3 or 4 place that look like little dinners but the food served was far better than alot of linen napkin, crystal glass, overpriced places in NYC.

Lovely, recently renovated cathedral. It was a joy to see it and enjoy a service. The Sunday morning bells rang out throughout the city calling us to come and worship... so we did! Would do it again.

The Cathedral dominates the end of one street. We happened to be there on St. Francis Feast Day and they had a Mass at 5:00pm that was full of people and at least one priest in procession from each of the parishes in the Archdiocese..and Indian dancers...It was quite a spectacle

A beautiful Catholic Basilica built to honor St. Francis, this church has some incredible art work in it. A masterful display of icons by Brother Robert Lentz are set behind the altar. In total, there are 12. Each icon has a gold background then displays various saints in rather unusual poses -- quite out of the ordinary for icons. A modern artist, Brother Robert travels through out the world painting icons in various Catholic churches. Artwork abounds in the church, including the statuary outside. Definitely worth the visit.

I have been to cathedrals in Europe, and this reminded of them. The Madonna is awe inspiring - to think it goes back to the 1600's! The painting and architecture as well as the stained glass are beautifully done. Not to be missed.

A visit to St. Francis Cathedral is a must for visitors. It's built in the French Romanesque Style, I believe. The mass is celebrated on regular Sunday schedule and on weekdays. Best of all, is the Indian Mass celebrated around August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption and the Indian Market. The Lamy Garden is situated in back of the cathedral. It's a memorial to Archbishop Lamy who built the cathedral. Across the street from the entrance to the cathedral, is the Indian Arts Museum. In front of the cathedral is a beautiful colored statue of Blessed Kiri Tekawitha, a Mohawk Indian who assisted the French settlers and taught school in the colonies. Kiri Tekawitha was a convert to Catholicism. (It's taking the Catholic Church a heck of a long time to canonize Kiri Tekawitha to sainthood. She deserves it, because she did a lot for the French and the Jesuits in the New World helping to spread the Catholic faith.) Last but not least, a visit to the Church shop where you can purchase handcrafts of religious articles by the locals is recommended.