Overview

Hype:

St. Mary’s Basilica, formally the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is Phoenix’s oldest Catholic parish, founded in 1881, with its current Mission?Revival building completed in 1915. The basilica is distinguished by its four domes, twin bell towers with onion-shaped roofs, and Arizona’s largest collection of stained-glass windows crafted by Germany’s Emil Frei Studio. Elevated to minor basilica status by Pope John Paul II in 1985, it remains the only basilica in Arizona. Today it functions as a busy urban parish and spiritual anchor in downtown, hosting multiple daily Masses, major city liturgies, and outreach programs serving students, the homeless, and university communities. In recent years the Diocese has expanded the campus to include spaces for seminarians and plans interfaith and mental-health outreach, reinforcing the basilica’s role as both a historical landmark and a hub of cultural and community activity.

Time:

Fees: None

Recommended Ages:

	0-3
	4-11
	12-19
	20-49
	50-69
	70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Features:

Architecture
Religious
National Register of Historic Places

Links: https://saintmarysbasilica.org/

Location

Closest City or Region: Phoenix, Arizona

Coordinates: 33.450558, -112.069799

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February 23, 2025 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye,

Story

Next up was St Mary's Roman Catholic Basilica. They had mass going while I was there, so I just walked around the outside and peeked through the door.