14Aug

Restoring the Monument Front Stairs

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Crews carefully removed the Vermont granite stair treads using a crane. Each tread was numbered and kept in sequence to ensure it can be returned to its original position. Over time, the original support structure beneath the stairs had completely deteriorated, putting the structural integrity of the stairs at risk. The underlying support structure will […]

13Aug

Reinstalling Stained Glass Windows

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The Basilica’s beautiful clerestory stained glass windows, which tell the story of Mary’s life, are being restored as part of the comprehensive restoration project. Each bay of windows is carefully removed and transported in crates to the Femenella & Associates studio in New Jersey, where damaged glass and leading are repaired. Every window receives a […]

05Aug

Media Coverage – August

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Thank you to KSTP and Johan van Parys for sharing the story of this historic project — a once-in-a-generation effort to preserve America’s First Basilica and its sacred beauty for the future.

04Aug

New Hardwood Floors

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Installation of the new maple hardwood floor planks, milled in Wisconsin, began in July. Crews from Duanes Floor Service began the multi-week installation process. Before the hardwood flooring was laid, the concrete subfloor was leveled and a protective underlayment was installed. The new floor is being installed in two phases. The first half of the […]

24Jul

Bringing Back the Blue

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Painters from EverGreene Architectural Arts recently brought back the first strokes of blue to The Basilica’s magnificent ceiling. This radiant blue represents Mary and restores vibrancy to the architectural details overhead. The rich blue, gold, and red details have made the ceiling a masterpiece for more than a century. Over the next nine months, skilled […]

17Jul

Cleaning the Apostles

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Crews are cleaning every inch of The Basilica, including the marble statues of the apostles that surround the Sanctuary. Carved in Italy, they are half-scale replicas of the statues in Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome. Rather than scrubbing the stone with soap and water, conservators use a specialized conservation material that […]

08Jul

Media Coverage – July

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Going inside The Basilica of Saint Mary renovation:Nearly 120 years ago, construction began on The Basilica of Saint Mary in downtown Minneapolis. Today, this landmark is undergoing a massive renovation. They’re working on nearly everything from the ornate ceiling to the stained glass, the pews and even the organ is getting refreshed. This project started […]

06Jul

Plaster Restoration Process Begins

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Restoring the ornate plaster ceiling of The Basilica is one of the most intricate phases of the restoration. Decades of age and deterioration have left the decorative plasterwork with cracks, flaking finishes, and areas where entire ornamental pieces have broken away. Before work began in early June, plaster and paint conservation specialists conducted a thorough […]

30Jun

Campaign and Restoration Project Executive Summary

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Dear Friends, The extraordinary generosity of our community has allowed us to broaden our vision for restoration and set an expanded goal of $50 million. The multi-phase project is now 84% funded, with momentum continuing to build each month. This success enables us to broaden the scope of work to include reconstruction of the monumental […]

29Jun

Floor Releveling Prepares for New Hardwood Flooring

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As crews begin peeling back the layers of the historic church, they have discovered that the floors have shifted significantly over time and must be releveled before the new hardwood flooring can be installed. Over the past several weeks, JE Dunn Construction teams have carefully removed portions of the existing concrete that would have prevented […]

23Jun

Restoration Progress Tracker

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Preserving this once-in-a-lifetime project through photography and video is an important way to share the progress with donors and create a lasting record for The Basilica archives. Photo credit: Ken Fournelle

04Jun

Interior Tuckpointing

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Crews from American Masonry are carefully tuckpointing every interior mortar joint throughout the church. The existing mortar is removed and replaced with new mortar to secure the 4-inch-thick Mankato limestone and help preserve the structural integrity of the building. Once the stone is stabilized, a specialized cleaning material is applied to the surface. After it […]

29May

Pew Restoration Process

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The careful restoration of The Basilica’s historic pews represents both a significant investment and a commitment to preserving the church’s sacred heritage. Preserving the pews — and the more than 100 years of prayers, joys, and sorrows they have held — was central to the restoration vision of The Basilica. In April, the pews were […]

26May

Stone Cleaning Milestones

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Stone cleaning is progressing steadily throughout the church, carefully removing a century of soot and particulate deposits while preserving the integrity of the historic limestone. The contrast between cleaned and uncleaned areas is remarkable, offering a glimpse of the church’s original beauty and craftsmanship. To clean the limestone, a specialized conservation material is applied to […]

16May

Scaffolding Installed for Ceiling Restoration Work

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Crews have spent the past several weeks installing a complex scaffolding system in the nave of the church that will allow expert plasterers and painters to reach 75 feet into the air to restore The Basilica’s ornate ceiling. Photo credit: Ken Fournelle

06May

Together in Generosity

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In early 2026, we announced a donation match as part of the Restoring Beauty, Inspiring Hope campaign. This match was made possible through the generosity of our honorary campaign co-chairs Bill and Michelle Pohlad who offered to match donations under $50,000 up to a total of $1 million. The response from Basilica parishioners and our wider […]

05May

Preventing Water Intrusion

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The restoration of The Basilica of Saint Mary is a multi-phase comprehensive project led by renowned experts from across the country. Crews from American Masonry Restoration continue tuckpointing and repairing the exterior stone, preserving the integrity of the church and preventing water intrusion. Photo credit: Ken Fournelle

25Apr

Pews Removed for Restoration

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The Basilica’s original 1914 pews have been carefully removed and transported to a restoration workshop in St. Paul. As part of the comprehensive restoration, each pew will be repaired and refinished to preserve its historic character. Once completed, the pews will be reinstalled with improved spacing to enhance accessibility throughout the restored Basilica. Photo credit: […]

20Apr

Media Coverage

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April 5, 2026 What to know about the Basilica of St. Mary’s restoration Basilica of St. Mary starts $45M restoration Final upstairs mass held at the Basilica of Saint Mary before yearlong $45M renovation begins www.startribune.com/basilica-of-st-mary-to-move-main-worship-space-downstairs-as-part-of-45m-restoration

08Apr

Message from Archbishop Hebda Message for The Basilica’s Restoration

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The Basilica leads people to Christ and inspires lives of service.I’m praying for all who are supporting the restoration, and I certainly look forward to that time when we will be able to celebrate in a completely restored, Basilica of Saint Mary. -Archbishop Hebda

07Apr

Sealing the Bronze Doors for Restoration

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On Easter morning, Archbishop Bernard Hebda blessed and sealed the front bronze doors of The Basilica of Saint Mary, marking the beginning of a comprehensive interior restoration of the historic upper nave. This milestone is part of the Basilica’s $45 million capital campaign, Restoring Beauty, Inspiring Hope, a multi-phase restoration initiative to preserve and renew […]

13Mar

Video message: Beauty Reveals the Presence of God

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A Message from Fr. Daniel: Restoring the Heart of Our Parish The Basilica of Saint Mary is truly the beating heart of our parish. Every day, people come through these doors to pray, celebrate, find comfort, and experience the beauty of this sacred place. In the video below, I share why this church means so […]

12Mar

Liturgical Design for The Renewed Basilica

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Sacred spaces and experiences The restoration of The Basilica of Saint Mary is being guided not only by architectural plans and construction timelines, but by theological questions about how worship is shaped by space. Those questions fall largely to the Liturgical Design Committee, one of several specialized committees working under the Restoration Executive Committee to […]

08Mar

Interior Stone Cleaning and Tuckpointing

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Restoration crews have been carefully cleaning and tuckpointing the interior stone in the ambulatory aisles of the church, an important step in preserving the beauty and structural integrity of this historic space. At the same time, Basilica staff and volunteers are preparing for the next phase of the restoration by organizing the temporary relocation of […]

16Dec

Stone Cleaning

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The Basilica’s interior is faced with 4-inch-thick Mankato limestone. Throughout 2025, conservation crews cleaned the ambulatories in the church. The cleaning material is applied to the surface and once cured, peeled away, extracting embedded soot and particulate deposits that have accumulated over the past century.

01Dec

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Lord, Renew Your Church campaign

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Sustaining the Cathedral of Saint Paul & Basilica of Saint Mary | $30 Million The Cathedral of Saint Paul and the Basilica of Saint Mary are vital to the Church’s identity and unity, serving as beacons of faith and community. They provide continuity and stability, fostering a sense of belonging across generations. Essential renovations and […]

13Nov

Audio Enhancements

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From the 2025 Fall Basilica Magazine One of the pillars of The Basilica Restoration Plan is enhancing the sacred experience by improving acoustics and upgrading audio equipment.

01Oct

Exterior Tuckpointing

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Throughout 2025, crews from American Masonry Restoration have been performing exterior tuckpointing on the church as part of a comprehensive building envelope stabilization effort. This work is required to ensure the structure is fully watertight prior to the start of interior restoration. The process includes a detailed assessment of the stone masonry, identification of compromised […]

13Jan

Exterior Lighting

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From the 2025 Basilica Magazine Spring On a brutally cold night in December, a group of staff and parishioners ventured out with the lighting company guide to discuss and evaluate lighting improvements for The Basilica’s exterior.

01Dec

Restoration Preparations

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From the 2024 Fall Basilica Magazine Send me workers skilled in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving…” — 2 Chronicles 2:7

08Jul

America’s First Basilica

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The Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, Minnesota is the FIRST Basilica in the United States, and was named a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1926. Construction on the basilica began in 1907 and was completed in 1915, with interior work not finishing until 1925. The basilica is considered a fine example of Beaux Arts architecture […]

08Jul

Statues with Provenance

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Fun Fact: The marble statues surrounding the Sanctuary depict the apostles. Carved in Italy, they are half size copies of those in St. John Lateran, Cathedral of Rome.

08Jul

The Parish is Over 150 Years Old

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The Basilica Cathedral building finished construction 100 years ago, but the parish was formed over 150 years ago, and recently celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2018. From its humble beginnings, the parish sought to inspire the community, even if the building’s initial stature was less grand.

05Jul

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

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We are embarking on a very exciting time at The Basilica of Saint Mary where we begin the process of restoring the beauty of our historic church – America’s first basilica. The arrival at this day has been years in the making and has been accompanied by the challenges of a global pandemic and the […]

28Jun

Interior Trial Mockup

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Interior Restoration Trial Underway As The Basilica of Saint Mary plans for future interior restoration, crucial design and restoration techniques are being tested on various elements such as plaster ceilings, stone walls, stained glass windows, and lighting. These techniques are undergoing what is commonly known as a “mock-up” phase. These full-scale mock-ups play a vital […]