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Holy Name Cathedral Celebrates 175th Anniversary with Year-Long Festivities Starting with Two Special Liturgies on Monday, Nov. 18 and Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024

Chicago City Council will declare Monday, Nov. 18 as Holy Name Cathedral Day with a proclamation presentation during a noon Mass; Cardinal Blase Cupich will be the main celebrant and homilist for the anniversary year opening Mass on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m.

Chicago (Nov. 15, 2024) – Holy Name Cathedral announces a year-long celebration marking its 175th anniversary as a parish starting with two notable events: on Monday, Nov. 18 at 12 p.m., Alderman Brendan Reilly will present a city resolution to Fr. Greg Sakowicz, rector of the cathedral, proclaiming the day as Holy Name Cathedral Day in Chicago, and on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m., Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago and pastor of the cathedral, will be the main celebrant and homilist of the opening Mass of the anniversary year. During this liturgy, Sakowicz will offer remarks congratulating Cardinal Cupich for his 10-year anniversary as Chicago’s archbishop.

Both Masses will be live-streamed on Holy Name Cathedral’s YouTube channel:

The anniversary-year theme is Faith in Action and in addition to these liturgies, Holy Name Cathedral has planned a year-long schedule of special services, concerts and events to commemorate the milestone. These activities will highlight the cathedral’s rich history, commitment to spiritual leadership and pastoral care, and the arts.

“As we mark Holy Name Cathedral’s 175 years of faith, resilience, and service, we are reminded of the countless people who have found solace, inspiration, and hope within these walls,” said Cardinal Cupich. “This anniversary is not just about celebrating its past but also looking forward to how the parish will continue to serve the community for generations to come.”

On Nov. 18, 1849, Bishop James Oliver Van de Velde, SJ, dedicated Holy Name Parish on the northeast corner of State Street between Superior and Huron streets. Spanning nearly two centuries, Holy Name Cathedral is both a parish and the seat of the Archdiocese of Chicago, witnessing significant moments in the city’s history, serving as a place of refuge during times of hardship, and a space for celebration and worship, including notable moments:

  • Oct. 9, 1871: Holy Name Church, St. Mary's Cathedral, five other churches, many schools, convents, and orphanages are burned beyond recognition in the Great Chicago Fire, leading to the need for a new church for the parish.
  • Nov. 21, 1875: On the Feast of Mary's Presentation in Temple, Bishop Thomas Foley dedicates Holy Name Cathedral's nave, transept and spire with lavish marble interior, bright-colored windows and ornamental paintings at total cost of $260,000.
  • March 24, 1924: Pope Pius XI elevates Archbishop George Mundelein to serve as the first Catholic cardinal of Chicago ("first Cardinal of West”), and he is welcomed home from Rome by an exuberant crowd on May 11.  
  • 1928: Cardinal Mundelein appoints Rev. Joseph Morrison as administrator and fourth rector (1932-1946). He arranges daily confessions, is elevated to monsignor (1938), and organizes the Catholic Lawyers Guild, Chicago Actors Council, Liturgical Conference, Catholic Interracial Council and Maryhouse for homeless women. 
  • Sept. 16, 1937: Holy Name's co-ed grade school and two-year high school are constructed at the southwest corner of Wabash and Chicago for students who cannot pay tuition at private schools. The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) teach 100 freshmen from 25 parishes, and Holy Name priests instruct religion classes.
  • October 1979: Pope John Paul II visits Chicago, celebrating Mass in Grant Park. He visits Holy Name Cathedral on two successive evenings, hearing concerts of liturgical music by Italian operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
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Holy Name Cathedral will host a series of events over the next year:

  • Friday, Dec. 13, 2024: the fifth annual Rector's Christmas Concert, featuring Rich Daniels and the City Lights Orchestra. As a gift to the parish, all tickets are free, but pre-registration is required.
  • Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025: the "Faith & Fitness" series, which connects spirituality and wellness, will present a free wellness fair and panel discussion in time for New Year's resolutions.
  • Winter 2025: A new mural, “A Pilgrim People,” made of mosaics will be designed and installed in the cathedral courtyard in partnership with the Green Star Movement, a nonprofit that inspires through the creation of public art. Volunteers will create the mural by learning artistic techniques such as working with mosaics, placing tiles into the design image, and grouting during hands-on, interactive workshops. The unveiling is scheduled for May 2025.
  • Sunday, June 8, 2025: All are invited to a revival with an afternoon of praise and celebration entitled "The Road to Emmaus." The theme reflects the journey of all Christians - a path where we may feel discouraged but where Christ and His Church are always present to guide the faithful back to Jerusalem.  
  • Friday, June 27, 2025: Artist and retired Chicago priest Fr. Anthony J. Brankin is creating an original bronze sculpture of the Sacred Heart that will be dedicated on June 27, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. The new sculpture, which is a contemporary interpretation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is appropriately timed with Pope Francis' new encyclical on the Sacred Heart, “Dilexit nos” ("He loved us").

More information about Holy Name Cathedral’s anniversary and a historical timeline can be found at: https://holynamecathedral.org/