What Is the Cathedral of Saint Helena?
The Cathedral of Saint Helena is a nationally registered, Gothic Revival cathedral right in the heart of Helena, Montana!
What Makes It Historical?
Roughly modeled after the Votivkirche in Vienna, Austria, this limestone cathedral was built between 1908 and 1924 and equipped with 230-foot tall spires, 15 hand-cast bells, and stained glass imported from the firm of F.X. Zettler in Munich! Why so many European elements, you ask? Well, architect, Adalbert Olszewski Von Herbulis, trained in Vienna before moving to the United States in 1880!
Spearheading the project was Bishop John P. Carroll, who had arrived in Helena with a mission to set up his diocese with a college (now called Carroll College) and a cathedral. He was aided in funding by the likes of Irish prospector, Thomas Cruse, and Senator Thomas Walsh, best known for leading the Senate investigation into the Teapot Dome Scandal!
(In case you were wondering, St. Helena, mother of Constantine, made pilrimage to the Holy Land and scouted out the sites where the Church of the Nativity and Church of the Holy Sepulchre now stand! While the cathedral is named for her, she had nothing to do with the naming of Montana’s capital city!)
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Montana Historical Society!
- Donate to the Cathedral of Saint Helena!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
530 N. Ewing St
Helena, MT 59601
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The cathedral is open for visitors Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM until 6:00 PM, Saturday from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM, and Sunday from 7:00 AM until 3:00 PM!
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