Portes de la Miséricorde

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is the iconic symbol of Savannah, Georgia. French Catholic émigrés established Savannah’s first parish, called the Congrégation de Saint Jean-Baptiste, shortly before the end of the 18th century. Pope Pius IX erected the Diocese of Savannah on July 19, 1850 and, at that time, the Church of Saint John the Baptist, then the only Catholic church in Savannah, became the Cathedral. The new brick Cathedral, which was of French Gothic style with imposing nave and transepts, was dedicated on its current site on April 30, 1876. Since then, the Cathedral has become one of the top 10 historic sites to visit in the United States. Visitors continue to rate the Cathedral as, “a must see,” during their trips to Savannah.