The Minor Basilica Of The Immaculate Conception

Review & FAQ:

• What is the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception?
  • The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is located in Natchitoches, Louisiana. It also serves as a parish church in the Diocese of Alexandria.
• What was the church’s historical role?
  • The church building was once the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Natchitoches.
• Is the church historically significant?
  • Yes, as the Church of the Immaculate Conception, it is part of the Natchitoches Historic District and is registered on the National Register of Historic Places.
• When was the first church built?
  • The parish was founded in 1728, and the first church was built inside Fort St. Jean Baptiste sometime before 1733.
• How many churches have existed on this site?
  • There have been six previous churches before the current structure, each built at different locations:
    • The second church, named St. John the Baptist, was built by 1738.
    • The third church, made of stone, was constructed in 1771.
    • The fourth church was built fourteen years later at what is now Front and Church Streets.
    • The fifth church, made of brick, was 50 feet wide and 100 feet long but was destroyed in the 1838 Natchitoches fire.
    • The sixth church was completed in 1839 and in 1853 became the first cathedral for the Diocese of Natchitoches.
• When was the present church built?
  • The present church was completed by 1905 and was later transferred from Natchitoches to Alexandria.
• When was it elevated to a Minor Basilica?
  • The church was elevated to a Minor Basilica in 2009.
• Where is the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception located?
  • 145 Church St, Natchitoches, LA 71457, Phone: 318-352-3422.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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