The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi — Attraction in Santa Fe

Words cannot describe this beautiful and holy place! Take your time to go through and experience the presence of Our Precious Lord, Our Mother, the Saints and the multitude of history here! Most people just wonder through without knowing the how awesome the history this beautiful church holds! To the the left of the altar are many relics dating back quite some time! We were with someone who really knew their church history! I have seen others talk about someone who works here who can tell you about this! Take some time to pray and meditate while here! My teenage son pointed out the labyrinth at the top of the stairs of the Cathedral before you go into the church. I had no idea that there was church history with this, I thought it was just in his sci-fi movies, but it explains it on a plaque. I agree with others that this has a lot more historical history than the Chapel which charges to go in and is packed full of tourists. They play an overhead audio history that is played over and over, but hard to understand due to the large number of people coming and going and it echoing off the sides of the chapel. The Chapel is worth seeing too, just don’t skip over the Cathedral! Most likely you will be walking around a lot, so if it is warm or hot out, take water, walking shoes and maybe and umbrella for shade. There are plenty of shops to go in and out of full of local culture with plenty authentic places to eat. (Expect to spend at least $12 for a meal) You could also take a small backpack with food, drinks and a small blanket and have lunch on the grounds surrounding the Cathedral if I remember right. As for parking, I think they have Cathedral parking behind the Cathedral. We had stayed in a wonderful hotel just behind to the SE of the Cathedral and they allowed us to park in their restaurant parking during the day. If you can make Mass absolutely do so, but also take the extra time to get to know the history of this...

Update September 2024

We had the chance to attend Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis in Santa Fe, NM, and, as always, it was a wonderful experience! The day was sunny and warm and the cathedral grounds were beautiful. The Mass was about 60/40 English and Spanish, an expression of, the local community! So nice… we didn’t have the children’s choir this time, but the adults sounded just as good! LOL Seriously, the music at the Cathedral is one of the best parts os the Mass. It’s obvious the amount of time the music ministry puts in to hone their craft… amazing! The Cathedral is beautiful as well! What a blessing to be able to attend Mass at such an wonderful place! 🙏🙏🙏

September 2023

Wonderful place to celebrate the Mass. We attended Mass on a Sunday morning during a recent trip to Santa Fe, NM. The celebrant at the Mass was the pastor, Most Reverend John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe, NM. He was wonderful. To describe the Cathedral as beautiful is an understatement! It is breathtaking... Just walking in the door you feel closer to God! The stained-glass artwork is exceptional.

Perhaps most striking about the Mass was the music. A new sound system had been installed a couple of weeks earlier. The choir was great, and the individual singers even better, especially the children that sang solo! The parish clearly devotes a lot of time, energy and funding in support of the music ministry at the parish. Truly, one of the most beautiful Masses we have ever attended. We will definitely be in attending Mass at the Cathedral Basilica every time we visit...

Another person shared about how rude a helper of the church was and I believe it because I had the same hateful man approached me while after getting Communion.

See I went to sit at the front so I could be blessed by the priest since I can't have bread because I have only been baptised so I cross my arms so the priest can bless me and that's what I have been doing since I was little. But I had just went to a art show early before mass and bought a painting of the Loretto Chapel and was carrying it since I had walked that morning to go to church and I didnt want to leave it in my seat while I walked up to get blessed by the priest and because I changed the row that I was in to get blessed by the Father I was grabbed and thrown out by a man that helps the church and was told that I couldn't ever come back. My friend that had attended with me told the man to take his hands off of me and that she did nothing wrong. He yelled in anger and said you aren't welcome at this church ever again

I will never go back to this church in my life and to think my family has given to this church my whole life my Grandmother Lila Greer Koury told me I could always trust the catholic church but I dont believe this is true anymore. I was going through a ruff time and looking for guidance from the faith that I lost as a child and you let me down. I cant except organized religion and I have turned to reading my bible on my own and never ever go to this church again, and it's a shame to say this since it is a part of my history as...