Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans

Christ Church Cathedral is the official seat of the Bishop of Louisiana, in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

Early History

In June of 1803, 53 Protestants responded to an appeal to form a Protestant congregation in the predominantly Roman Catholic City of New Orleans. After a preliminary meeting, the choice of denomination was put up to a vote. The ballot results were: Episcopalian, 45 votes; Presbyterian, 7 votes; Methodist, 1 vote. With the result of the vote, the Episcopal congregation of Christ's Church was founded. Soon after, a call was sent to various colleges and churches in the east for recommendations for a suitable clergyman. On November 16, 1805, Philander Chase, a young minister from Poughkeepsie arrived with a letter of introduction from Bishop Benjamin Moore of New York. The founders approved of young Chase and at eleven o'clock in the morning of the following day, Philander Chase preached his first sermon at the Cabildo on the Place d'Armes.

Related Topics:
Roman Catholic - Episcopalian - Presbyterian - Methodist - Philander Chase - Poughkeepsie

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Services were held in various public buildings until 1816 when the first Christ church was erected at the riverside corner of Canal and Bourbon streets. No sketch exists of this first Christ Church. Records show it was designed by Henry Boneval Latrobe, son of the distinguished architect, Benjamin Henry Latrobe. The building was octagonal in shape, 60 feet in diameter with a domes roof surmounted by a cupola and constructed in brick.

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