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Long before there was a Catholic Church in Jacksonville, Catholic families gathered in their homes to celebrate Mass with priests who traveled on horseback from Georgia. This period extended from 1829 to 1854. The first small Church was built in 1847. By 1854 the parish community, although still small, had grown considerably. Catholics moved from celebrating Mass in their homes to the small wooden building on the corner of Ocean and Duval streets. This was also the year that Pope Pius IX declared that the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION of the Blessed Virgin Mary was is a Dogmatic Article of Faith. It was fitting, therefore, that the new wooden church building in Jacksonville be named in honor of the new Marian dogma.
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From 1829 to 1854 the Jacksonville mission area was visited by priests from St. Augustine and Savannah. Among the priests who served the area during that time were Edward Francis Mayne (1829-1834) and Benedict Madeore and Edmond Aubril (1843-1854). In 1847 a small farm church was erected on the northeast corner of Duval and Newnan Streets, a city lot that was acquired for the sum of “one penny” from Issiah David Hart, developer of the city of Jacksonville. The church was dedicated under the title of the Immaculate Conception, thus anticipating the definition of that dogma as an Article of Faith by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Father Aubril from St. Augustine, under whom the Jacksonville mission church was built, placed a large painting of the Blessed Virgin, a gift from the French Government, over the altar.
On December, 8, 1854 the Immaculate Conception Church, graduating from the role of a mission church, was formally established as a parish. Fr. William J. Hamilton, a priest from the Diocese of Savannah, was sent to Jacksonville to dedicate the church and become its spiritual leader. He exhibited a singular facility for ecumenism which so many of Immaculate Conception’s pastors carried on through the years. Father Hamilton was, as an observer put it, “a man of amiable and social qualities that endeared him to all, irrespective of creed.” In 1857, when Florida was made a Vicariate Apostolic, “Cowford,” as Jacksonville was known at that time, became part of the new Vicariate. Father Hamilton, a native of Ireland and a graduate of All Hallows College in Dublin was ordained at age 24. He was assigned to the Diocese of Savannah where, upon arrival, he was ordered to Jacksonville. At the time, the population of Jacksonville was slightly more than 2,000 and the new church’s congregation was proportionately small. In 1858 the parish purchased land for St. Joseph’s Cemetery at a cost of $10. It is now known as the Old City Cemetery. In that same year, a lot on the southwest corner of Newna and Church Streets was purchased for $150.
Father Hamilton’s arrival in Jacksonville coincided with action by the Holy See in Rome, which separated Florida east of the Apalachicola River from the Diocese of Savannah assigning it an independent status as mission territory. The state now was in a position to receive a resident vicariate-apostolic. However, canonical designation as a diocese would not come until March 11, 1870. Given the assignment on February 1, 1856 was Father Jean-Pierre Augustin Marcellin Verot, a French Sulpicaian priest. Two years after his ordination he had arrived at St. Mary’s College in Baltimore where he had served as a professor of mathematics and science for 22 years. He had then requested duty in pastoral work and was assigned to a small church in nearby Ellicott City. While there, he was appointed by Rome as Florida’s first vicar-apostolic and in 1870, he was consecrated first bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine. He received the mitre and official powers in ceremonies at the Cathedral in Baltimore, April 25, 1858. On May 22, accompanied by Father Madeore who had come up from St. Augustine, Verot left for a new life in Florida. On the evening of June 1, 1858, a happy crowd greeted him as he arrived at the wharf in St. Augustine.
On May 14, 1859, Verot sailed for France in search of priests for service in the new vicariate. It was his first visit home in 29 years. He succeeded in recruiting seven secular priests. With these additional priests to run them, new missions operating from the mother church in St. Augustine were established at Moccasin Brance, Pellicer’s Creek, and Roger’s Settlement. Samson and Palm Valley were attended from St. Joseph’s Church in Mandarin and Amelia Isand ws under the guidance of the Fernandina Church.In September, 1860, Father Henry Peter Clavreul, one of the priests whom Bishop Verot had recruited in France, arrived in Jacksonville.
On December, 8, 1854 the Immaculate Conception Church, graduating from the role of a mission church, was formally established as a parish. Fr. William J. Hamilton, a priest from the Diocese of Savannah, was sent to Jacksonville to dedicate the church and become its spiritual leader. He exhibited a singular facility for ecumenism which so many of Immaculate Conception’s pastors carried on through the years. Father Hamilton was, as an observer put it, “a man of amiable and social qualities that endeared him to all, irrespective of creed.” In 1857, when Florida was made a Vicariate Apostolic, “Cowford,” as Jacksonville was known at that time, became part of the new Vicariate. Father Hamilton, a native of Ireland and a graduate of All Hallows College in Dublin was ordained at age 24. He was assigned to the Diocese of Savannah where, upon arrival, he was ordered to Jacksonville. At the time, the population of Jacksonville was slightly more than 2,000 and the new church’s congregation was proportionately small. In 1858 the parish purchased land for St. Joseph’s Cemetery at a cost of $10. It is now known as the Old City Cemetery. In that same year, a lot on the southwest corner of Newna and Church Streets was purchased for $150.
Father Hamilton’s arrival in Jacksonville coincided with action by the Holy See in Rome, which separated Florida east of the Apalachicola River from the Diocese of Savannah assigning it an independent status as mission territory. The state now was in a position to receive a resident vicariate-apostolic. However, canonical designation as a diocese would not come until March 11, 1870. Given the assignment on February 1, 1856 was Father Jean-Pierre Augustin Marcellin Verot, a French Sulpicaian priest. Two years after his ordination he had arrived at St. Mary’s College in Baltimore where he had served as a professor of mathematics and science for 22 years. He had then requested duty in pastoral work and was assigned to a small church in nearby Ellicott City. While there, he was appointed by Rome as Florida’s first vicar-apostolic and in 1870, he was consecrated first bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine. He received the mitre and official powers in ceremonies at the Cathedral in Baltimore, April 25, 1858. On May 22, accompanied by Father Madeore who had come up from St. Augustine, Verot left for a new life in Florida. On the evening of June 1, 1858, a happy crowd greeted him as he arrived at the wharf in St. Augustine.
On May 14, 1859, Verot sailed for France in search of priests for service in the new vicariate. It was his first visit home in 29 years. He succeeded in recruiting seven secular priests. With these additional priests to run them, new missions operating from the mother church in St. Augustine were established at Moccasin Brance, Pellicer’s Creek, and Roger’s Settlement. Samson and Palm Valley were attended from St. Joseph’s Church in Mandarin and Amelia Isand ws under the guidance of the Fernandina Church.In September, 1860, Father Henry Peter Clavreul, one of the priests whom Bishop Verot had recruited in France, arrived in Jacksonville.
The 1860s were perilous times for the young parish community, and for Jacksonville as a whole. In 1863, the town was occupied by Union troops during the “war Between the States.” Sadly, some of the bivouacked troops sacked and burned the Church. Union soldiers could be seen marching through town wearing sacred vestments and blowing notes through organ pipes pulled from the church. After the war, Church officials requested reimbursement for damages by the U.S. government, but they were denied. Nevertheless, the parish community was united and passionate. They moved forward and established a school in 1868 under the direction of the Sisters of St. Joseph, as well as a new Church in 1874.
Disaster struck the parish again on May 3rd, 1901 around noon. The Great Jacksonville fire that laid waste to the burgeoning city, spared few. Several minutes after the workers at the Cleaveland Fibre Factory on the corner of Beaver and Davis Streets in downtown Jacksonville heard the horn calling them to lunch. Several, sparks from the chimney of a nearby shanty started a fire in a pile of Spanish moss that had been laid out to dry. Factory workers made a futile attempt to extinguish the blaze, which was soon out of control due to the wind picking up out of the east. In eight hours, the fire burned 146 city blocks, destroyed more than 2,368 buildings including the entire parish buildings of Immaculate Conception Church, and left almost 10,000 residents homeless. It is said the glow from the flames could be seen in Savannah, Georgia, and the smoke plumes as far as Raleigh, North Carolina.
Florida Governor William S. Jennings declared martial law in Jacksonville and dispatched several state militia units to help. Reconstruction began immediately, and the city was returned to civil authority on May 17. The entire red brick sanctuary of Immaculate Conception was completely consumed by the flames. However, one of the most remarkable miracles was that a large statue of the Virgin Mary that sat near the top of the façade of the church did not topple over despite the damage to the structure. Rebuilding would occur shortly after this terrible disaster to the parish. Father John Kenny -- later to become the next bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine -- would organize a relief effort to collect a generous amount of funds to build a new church.
The 3rd and present church was dedicated on December 8th, 1910 on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The former pastor, Bishop Kenny, presided at the dedication of the church which is constructed of white Kentucky limestone. Its interior is decorated with fine stained glass windows produced in Munich, Germany by the Mayer Stained Glass Company. At the time, Immaculate Conception was the tallest building in the city. Immaculate Conception Parish was blessed during the next 35 years with such pastors as Father Michael Maher and Father James J. Meehan led the parish into its maturity as a religious cornerstone of downtown Jacksonville. Immaculate Conception was also the mother church of many of the first parishes which were established in the city’s first suburbs. from 1881 to 1964 it operated a school that early in its history also included high school classes. Currently, the Basilica is lead by Fr. Jan Ligeza, who succeeds the most recent pastors, Fr. Blair Gaynes, Fr. Ed. Murphy and Fr. Leon (Rest in Peace).
On June 21st, 2013, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome declared the Church of the Immaculate Conception as a Minor Basilica.
Disaster struck the parish again on May 3rd, 1901 around noon. The Great Jacksonville fire that laid waste to the burgeoning city, spared few. Several minutes after the workers at the Cleaveland Fibre Factory on the corner of Beaver and Davis Streets in downtown Jacksonville heard the horn calling them to lunch. Several, sparks from the chimney of a nearby shanty started a fire in a pile of Spanish moss that had been laid out to dry. Factory workers made a futile attempt to extinguish the blaze, which was soon out of control due to the wind picking up out of the east. In eight hours, the fire burned 146 city blocks, destroyed more than 2,368 buildings including the entire parish buildings of Immaculate Conception Church, and left almost 10,000 residents homeless. It is said the glow from the flames could be seen in Savannah, Georgia, and the smoke plumes as far as Raleigh, North Carolina.
Florida Governor William S. Jennings declared martial law in Jacksonville and dispatched several state militia units to help. Reconstruction began immediately, and the city was returned to civil authority on May 17. The entire red brick sanctuary of Immaculate Conception was completely consumed by the flames. However, one of the most remarkable miracles was that a large statue of the Virgin Mary that sat near the top of the façade of the church did not topple over despite the damage to the structure. Rebuilding would occur shortly after this terrible disaster to the parish. Father John Kenny -- later to become the next bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine -- would organize a relief effort to collect a generous amount of funds to build a new church.
The 3rd and present church was dedicated on December 8th, 1910 on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The former pastor, Bishop Kenny, presided at the dedication of the church which is constructed of white Kentucky limestone. Its interior is decorated with fine stained glass windows produced in Munich, Germany by the Mayer Stained Glass Company. At the time, Immaculate Conception was the tallest building in the city. Immaculate Conception Parish was blessed during the next 35 years with such pastors as Father Michael Maher and Father James J. Meehan led the parish into its maturity as a religious cornerstone of downtown Jacksonville. Immaculate Conception was also the mother church of many of the first parishes which were established in the city’s first suburbs. from 1881 to 1964 it operated a school that early in its history also included high school classes. Currently, the Basilica is lead by Fr. Jan Ligeza, who succeeds the most recent pastors, Fr. Blair Gaynes, Fr. Ed. Murphy and Fr. Leon (Rest in Peace).
On June 21st, 2013, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome declared the Church of the Immaculate Conception as a Minor Basilica.