Are you looking for a unique travel experience? Take a tour of Catholic Churches in the US.
- Justin Marie Santos-Sugay
- May 24, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: May 20
So, you are the kind of traveler that appreciates learning about a particular site's history. Try something unique and go for something you will be hard-pressed to find in run-of-the-mill travel guides, such as a tour of Catholic Churches in the US.
Experts have argued that Catholic Churches were first built in the US between the 16th and 17th centuries.
Most of these old churches are still around and essential to the United States religious history and colonial roots.
From the Catholic Church's role in the American Revolution to the slavery debate and the baptism of the first African American Catholics, there is no denying the widespread influence of the Church in shaping the nation.
While not precisely popular tourist destinations, several old catholic churches in the US are worth a visit. They all have undergone partial restoration at some point, but they all managed to keep the framework and layout intact. Indeed, they are important historical monuments; each structure holds fascinating accounts of critical moments in American history.
From the San Miguel Mission located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to St. Louis Cathedral-Basilica in New Orleans, these old churches paint a vivid picture of the spread of the Catholic faith from Spanish missions to English colonies and French territories.
If a historical pilgrimage is to your liking, here is a list of the oldest churches in the United States that you can visit.
San Miguel Mission
The oldest Church in the United States is in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Built in 1610 by Spanish friars in a Spanish Colonial and Romanesque style, it has functioned beyond a church and has served as the venue of choice for community events for more than 400 years.
While any written record about the Church's origins has been burned down, it has been passed along through oral history that a Native American Tribe called the Tlaxcalan provided the workforce and traditional knowledge to build the Church of the San Miguel Mission.
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