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As our time in New Orleans was coming to an end, I headed out on my own for one more walk through the French Quarter. I wanted to pick up a few souvenirs and take some last-minute photos before we continued our long drive home.
After spending time around Jackson Square, I decided to step inside the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France.
From the outside, the cathedral is one of the most recognizable landmarks in New Orleans. Standing at the center of Jackson Square, its three distinctive towers have overlooked the historic French Quarter for generations. The cathedral describes itself as America’s oldest continuously active Catholic cathedral community.
Walking through the doors was quite a contrast to the busy streets of the French Quarter.
Inside, the cathedral was quiet and peaceful. The ornate decorations, stained-glass windows, statues, paintings, chandeliers, and detailed architectural features made it easy to spend time simply looking around.
The history of the site goes back to the founding of New Orleans in 1718. An early church was established here by 1722, while the first permanent church was built in 1727. That church was destroyed in the great fire of 1788. The present cathedral developed through later construction and major restoration, with the expanded cathedral blessed in 1851. Pope Paul VI raised it to the rank of Minor Basilica in 1964.
One of the details I noticed inside St. Louis Cathedral was an unusual red-and-gold ceremonial umbrella. At first, it might look like simply another piece of church décor, but it actually has an important meaning.
The umbraculum, sometimes called an ombrellino, is one of the traditional symbols associated with a Minor Basilica. It is displayed along with the tintinnabulum, a ceremonial bell. Together, these objects signify the cathedral’s status as a basilica and its special relationship with the Holy See.
St. Louis Cathedral is officially the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, and the cathedral describes itself as America’s oldest continuously active Catholic cathedral community.
Seeing the umbraculum in person was one of those little details that would be easy to walk right past without knowing its significance. Once I learned what it represented, it became another interesting part of our visit.
One of the first things that caught my attention was the impressive main altar. The combination of the columns, gold detailing, statues, artwork, and large painting above the altar makes this one of the most dramatic areas inside the cathedral. I took several pictures from different distances because there was so much detail to see.
Looking upward reveals even more of the cathedral’s artwork. Large paintings and decorative designs cover portions of the ceiling and walls, while the chandeliers and architectural details add another layer to the interior. This is one of those places where a wide-angle photograph gives you an idea of the scale, but looking at the individual details makes you appreciate how much work went into the building.
One of the more unusual things I noticed was The Bible of St. Louis. A plaque explains that the original Bible belonged to St. Louis IX, King of France, and was copied and illustrated in Paris between 1226 and 1234. The original is preserved in the Cathedral of Toledo in Spain, while the copy displayed at St. Louis Cathedral was presented to the cathedral in 2007. The illuminated pages are filled with colorful medieval artwork and provide an interesting connection between the cathedral’s patron, St. Louis IX, and the religious history represented inside the building.
Another interesting piece of history inside the cathedral is a plaque commemorating Pope John Paul II’s visit. Pope John Paul II visited New Orleans in September 1987 and visited St. Louis Cathedral during his second pastoral visit to the United States. According to the cathedral, he paused for prayer before the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, the patroness of New Orleans and Louisiana. Seeing the plaque in person was a nice reminder that this isn’t simply a historic building—it remains an active Catholic church and an important part of New Orleans’ religious history.
As I walked through the cathedral, I found plenty of smaller details that were easy to overlook at first. There were statues of saints, including Joan of Arc, intricate stained-glass windows, religious paintings, and beautifully carved furnishings. The baptismal area, pulpit, crucifix, and other devotional pieces each had their own character. I kept finding another photograph to take before moving on.
After walking around the cathedral, I made my way back outside toward Jackson Square. It was a peaceful change of pace from the activity of the French Quarter. I had gone out that morning simply looking for souvenirs and some final photographs, but the visit to St. Louis Cathedral ended up being one of the more memorable parts of my final morning in New Orleans. The cathedral has been a center of Catholic worship and community life for more than three centuries, and standing inside it gave me a much better appreciation for the history behind the familiar landmark I had photographed from Jackson Square. There was still more of New Orleans to see, and I had one more set of photographs to take before we loaded up the Jeep and continued our journey home.
