A Brief History of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Charleston -- an impressive skyline with many steeples -- is called the Holy City for a reason. It takes little for Charlestonians to understand the city’s nickname-- on every corner a house of worship for one faith, denomination or another. 

The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church is one such structure with a truly unique design.

The first Bishop of Charleston bought the home at the intersection of Broad and Friend streets in 1821, seeking a spot for the site to build Charleston’s first cathedral. Seven months later, Bishop John England blessed the dwelling, turned it into a chapel and named it “The Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar” - St. Finbar being the patron saint of County Cork of Ireland. The faithful group built a fund for the structure for which the cornerstone was laid in July of 1850 but the Cathedral wasn’t consecrated until April of 1854.

The newest Catholic church in Charleston boasted a steeple which rose to 218 feet topped with a cross of bronze 9 feet tall created by the Christopher Wener Foundry (who notably made the Charleston Sword Gates). The sanctuary could hold 1200 parishioners.  

The gothic designed building served its congregation for seven years until, in 1861, “The Great Charleston Fire” burned a swath of Charleston from the Cooper River waterfront on Hasell St. across the peninsula to what was then the riverbank of the Ashley River. 

Losses to the Cathedral were considerable and included many sacramental items which had been donated, the library and over 17,000 volumes, the office of the first Catholic newspaper in the US, the seminary and convent as well as the first Catholic free school for girls. 

The hardships brought on by the Civil War and the reduced economics which followed delayed the reconstruction of the Cathedral until the second and final cornerstone was placed in 1890.

The ‘new’ structure was a repeat of the original without the steeple due to the lack of finances. Designed by Patrick Charles Keely and overseen again by the architect/designer (Irish born and Brooklyn raised), he went on to design more than 600 other Catholic churches and Cathedrals. 

The original and the re-iterated structures were built of Connecticut brownstone – the only one in Charleston at the time. A reflection of faith and craftsmanship, the many windows of the church complete the magnificent building. Iconic figures frequent the stained glass used to illustrate the interior and the various chapels dedicated to the glory of God. A number of statuaries also guard and decorate the sanctuary and chapels. Within the lower chapel of the cathedral are the crypts where Bishop John England, his sister and four other bishops of the church are enshrined. 

The original white, Vermont marble altars, the carved Flemish oak pews, and the rose window depicting the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist are among many notable bits of architecture. The 75th anniversary of the cathedral brought needed renovation. Other additions were accents to the altar furniture and the 31-rank organ purchased from the Episcopal Christ Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

The “mother church” of the diocese of Charleston with her congregation, the body of Catholics in South Carolina and the tourists that frequent the city have provided the funds which have allowed the final step in the 103-year journey to rebuild from the ashes. The steeple and its three bells were placed atop the 100-foot foundation in March 2010. The tower had been finished and left unadorned since 1907. The new spire reaches 167 feet and makes it the 7th tallest building in Charleston.

After the ‘storms’ of her life, The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church hides her almost 200 years most graciously and sports her ‘new’ steeple with pride.

~ David Joyner and Kristen N. Granet