Throughout its history, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains has been a beacon of hope; a place for worship, faith, and fellowship; and the site of many significant events for the Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and beyond.

Relatively early in its history, St. Peter in Chains became the center for “grand celebrations.” In 1876, Archbishop John Baptist Purcell became the first bishop in the United States to mark the 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood, and bishops throughout the country attended the anniversary Mass held at St. Peter in Chains. When Cincinnati native Henry Moeller was consecrated bishop of Columbus at the cathedral in 1900, it was described as “one of the grandest ceremonies in the history of St. Peter’s.” In 1903, a huge throng of people gathered at St. Peter in Chains to mourn the death of Pope Leo XIII.

In November 1911, 12,000 men joined in the first Holy Name Parade in the archdiocese, culminating at a review stand in front of the cathedral. The St. Antoninus Parish Holy Name Society revived the parade in 2014, and it continues to grow each year. Following Mass at the cathedral, the procession follows a two-mile route to Old St. Mary’s Church in Over- the-Rhine. The Blessed Sacrament is carried and leads the way as people sing hymns, giving public witness to their Catholic faith.

The cathedral continued to be a site for significant celebrations, meetings, and ministries during the first half of the 20th century. In September 1926, the 700th anniversary celebration of the death of St. Francis of Assisi was held locally at St. Peter in Chains and broadcast on WLW Radio.

In November 1928, the Council of Catholic Men opened its national convention with a solemn pontifical Mass at the cathedral, as did the National Catholic Education Association in June 1932. The Great Depression brought Catholics and non-Catholics together at St. Peter in Chains on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings in August 1931 to pray for the unemployed and relief from suffering. In 1937, the cathedral faith community organized a Red Cross unit to assist in relief efforts with that year’s disastrous flood.

After five years of renovation and expansion, the cathedral was rededicated on Nov. 3, 1957, beginning a week of special celebrations and more opportunities for faith and fellowship and expressions of joy and sorrow in the coming decades. In May 1958, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) presented the cathedral with a major relic of St. Robert Bellarmine. In August of that same year, the National Liturgical Week Conference was held at St. Peter in Chains. In 1961, the Third Order of St. Francis sponsored a rally for interracial understanding at the cathedral, and on Nov. 22, 1963, it was the site of a citywide memorial service held in honor of President John F. Kennedy. In addition, the cathedral hosted an interfaith memorial service for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 11, 1968.

A particularly memorable occasion occurred at St. Peter in Chains on June 19, 1974, when the North American Federation of the Third Order of St. Francis (now known as the National Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order) presented the future St. Teresa of Calcutta with the Peace Award (now known as the JPIC Award). In the summer of 1976, the archdiocese celebrated the U.S. bicentennial with a pontifical Mass at the cathedral, along with a special concert sponsored by Xavier University commemorating 200 years of sacred music in the United States. On Sept. 2, 1976, Karol Wojtyla, the archbishop of Krakow and future St. John Paul II, visited St. Peter in Chains.

Various religious orders marked years of dedicated service during celebrations at the cathedral:

• In 1985, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd marked the 150th anniversary of their order’s founding.
• In 1998, the Glenmary Home Missioners celebrated their golden jubilee.
• In 1995, the Ursulines of Brown County celebrated their 150th anniversary.,
• In 2010, the Ursulines of Cincinnati celebrated their 100th anniversary.

At the 150th anniversary of the dedication of St. Peter in Chains on Nov. 5, 1995, the cathedral’s history and significance were recognized with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk and other bishops connected to the cathedral, including Archbishop Edward McCarthy, archbishop emeritus of Miami. In June 1996, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati celebrated its 175th anniversary with a pontifical liturgy at the cathedral celebrated by Archbishop Pilarczyk and bishops representing the arch(dioceses) that have been formed from the original Archdiocese of Cincinnati territory.

Today, St. Peter in Chains hosts many special liturgical celebrations throughout the year, bringing the faithful from all over the archdiocese for beautiful and meaningful worship experiences. The annual World Day of Peace Mass is held on Jan. 1, as the congregation joins Catholics worldwide to promote hope, peace, and global harmony. The Rite of Election is held on the first Sunday of Lent, and the Chrism Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week. April and May mark the ordinations of deacons and priests, respectively, joyfully recognizing those who have responded to God’s call. In September, couples celebrating a jubilee wedding anniversary (25th, 50th, 55th, 60th, etc.) and their families attend Mass with the archbishop and receive a special blessing. Other annual Masses include the Blue Mass, which recognizes those employed in the public safety field, including police officers, fire fighters, correctional officers, 911 operators, and EMS personnel; and the White Mass, honoring healthcare providers and their dedicated work and asking God’s blessing upon patients, doctors, nurses, and caregivers.

From daily and Sunday Masses to liturgies during Advent, Lent, and the Easter season, every liturgy at St. Peter in Chains is approached with great joy, reverence, and dignity. Special emphasis is given to full, conscious, and active participation of the faithful in every celebration, thus ensuring all in attendance experience a sense of community and the depth of Christ’s love for us.

This article appeared in the August 2025 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.