Cathedral of the Holy Family, Catholic cathedral in downtown Anchorage, United States.
The Cathedral of the Holy Family is a Catholic church in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. The current building, designed by Seattle architect Augustine A. Porreca, was begun in 1946; the first Mass was held in the unfinished basement on December 14, 1947. Its main facade has a portico by McEntire and Pendergast with two pairs of doors and oversized transoms, and the exterior was painted off-white in 1970.
Holy Family Parish was founded in 1915, the same year as Anchorage, and its first church, a wood-frame building with ornamental cement block veneer, was completed on December 15, 1915. The present church was designed by Seattle architect Augustine A. Porreca; work began in 1946, the first Mass was held in the unfinished basement on December 14, 1947, and the main church was in use by the end of 1948. It became a cathedral in 1966 and was named "Old Cathedral" in 2020.
Holy Family Parish was founded in 1915, the same year as Anchorage itself, and the church became a cathedral when the Archdiocese of Anchorage was created in 1966. In 1974 Archbishop Joseph T. Ryan invited the Dominican Order to staff it. Since 2020 it has been a parish church of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau, carrying the title "Old Cathedral."
The downtown location makes it easy to reach on foot or by car from most parts of the city. Plan your visit during regular Mass times to see the interior, as this is when the building is typically open to the public.
Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral in 1981, drawing a massive crowd to downtown Anchorage for this rare religious event. This papal visit remains one of the most memorable moments in the building's history.
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