St. Louis Cathedral is located in the heart of New Orleans
On this plot of land, there have been 4 churches, built to serve the spiritual and physical needs of the people of New Orleans. The first structure arose in 1718, a crude wooden structure, a temporary solution for a people really in need of spiritual teaching. The second church was a proper building of brick and timber, which served the people well, from 1727 until it was burned to the ground during the horrible fire of 1788, which destroyed most of the French Quarter. But not to worry, the Spanish built a glorious cathedral, which was finished in 1794, and declared a cathedral in 1793 by Pope Pius. While the two side rounded steeples were in this original building, the central bell tower was commissioned in 1819, designed by well-known architect, Ben Henry Latrobe, who also designed the White House. The bell and original clock came all the way from Paris.
By 1849, a larger cathedral was needed for a growing population. During this 1850 ambitious renovation, the central tower collapsed, causing the whole cathedral to be redone, losing much of the original Spanish architecture. However, the new design was solid and beautiful, creating a house of worship that has endured over 150 years! This solid, beautiful 1850 cathedral was upgraded to a basilica in 1964, by John Paul II.
St. Louis Cathedral Basilica is considered by many to be one of the most haunted buildings in New Orleans. It has long been the center of spiritual worship of God for the people of New Orleans, and has been blessed with some dedicated people and priests who have served the Lord with fervent dedication in ministry.
The trouble began in 1764, when the King of France quietly gave the colony of New Orleans and his Louisiana property to the King of Spain in The Treaty of Fountainbleu, neglecting to tell his Creole subjects in New Orleans. Imagine the alarm when the Spaniards arrived in 1766, took down the French flag and replaced it with a Spanish one. Thinking that they were being invaded, the people got together, and formed an army, led by 6 prominent, Creole gentlemen. The Spanish at the end of the skirmish left in haste, escaping to Cuba. In 1769, a fleet of 24 Spanish ships carrying battle-ready troops and a fiery new governor of Irish decent, Don Alejandro O’Reilly, retook New Orleans. The new governor had his troops chase down the 6 leaders of the rebellion, and shot them without due process of law, leaving their bodies in front of the church.
Read more here: https://ghost.hauntedhouses.com/louisiana_new_orleans_st_louis_cathedral#
Book a tour here: https://ghostcitytours.com/new-orleans/haunted-places/st-louis-cathedral/
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/and-thats-why-we-drink/e/55021640
