This week in Christian history: First Catholic cathedral in US; Jan Hus martyred

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Sunday, July 05, 2026

Cornerstone laid at the United States’ first Catholic cathedral – July 7, 1806

A 1907 photo of The Basilica of the Assumption of Baltimore, Maryland, which is also known as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. | Wikimedia Commons

This week marks the anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone for the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore, Maryland, the first Catholic cathedral in the United States.

Also known as the Baltimore Basilica or the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the neoclassical building was constructed from 1806 to 1821.

According to the Basilica, the neoclassical style was chosen for its use in the District of Columbia, namely “to create a Catholic cathedral that was architecturally aligned with the ideals of the American republic.”

“At the time of its completion in 1821, only the United States Capitol rivaled the Basilica in architectural sophistication and scale,” stated the cathedral.

“Today, the Baltimore Basilica is considered one of the finest surviving examples of early 19th-century neoclassical church architecture in the world.”

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