Basilica of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Roman Catholic cathedral in Lewiston, United States.
The Basilica of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is a Roman Catholic cathedral on Bartlett Street in Lewiston, Maine, built in a Gothic Revival style with eight spires. Inside, the building houses two pipe organs made by Casavant Frères, one of which is the largest church organ in Maine.
Construction began in 1907 to serve the large French-speaking population employed in Lewiston's textile mills, which were then at the height of their activity. The church grew alongside the city and became a center of community life for the workers and their families.
The basilica still holds services in French, a tradition rooted in the French Canadian community that once shaped the city. Today, central African immigrants also worship here, giving the building a role that connects different generations and origins.
The cathedral sits in a central part of Lewiston and is easy to reach on foot from nearby streets. Visiting during the day is a good idea, as the light coming through the windows is best appreciated in daylight hours.
Despite Lewiston being a mid-sized industrial city, this cathedral ranks among the largest churches in all of New England. Its scale stands in surprising contrast to the size of the city that surrounds it.
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