Inside the jaw-dropping churches of St. Louis, and why art matters

Outside the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis (1907).

Our jaws hit the floor immediately upon entering the large double doors inside the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis. Constructed from 1907 to 1914, the church’s mosaics and architecture took Hallie and I on a journey to Europe in eastern Missouri.

Our gaze upon the ceiling never ceased as we managed to put one foot in front of the other to pray before 8 a.m. Mass. Even during Mass, it was impossible for me to stop staring at the beautiful artwork while songs elegantly echoed throughout the church. Coincidentally, we visited this staple house of God on the day Catholics around the world celebrate the martyrs of St. Paul and St. Peter, the rock of the church.

Following our friends’ engagement celebration, the main reason Hallie and I were in St. Louis, I toured around the rest of the church to take in all the sights. I stumbled into a conversation with an elderly man who appeared to see the inside of the building for the first time as well, but his reaction was different. While nice and respectful, the man offered unsolicited criticism toward the architecture and art saying “This is over the top,” and “I just feel like the money could have gone to something better.”

Unprepared for the encounter, I shrugged it off and tried to get off the topic as soon as possible. Then he said, “Our little church of Christ is enough for me, this is just crazy,” so I told him I needed to rejoin my friends and that it was nice to meet him. Oddly enough, that awkward five-minute interaction stuck with me for the rest of the day. Through brunch, the Cardinals baseball game and downtime that night, it forced me to think more deeply on the matter. I asked myself, “How important is art to our spiritual lives, and is it worth the money when there’s so much to be done in the world?”

Inside the chapel doors of the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis

Most people, regardless of background, beliefs and location, will agree that Catholicism is one of, if not, the biggest influence in arts around the globe. It’s one of the reasons why Rome is a huge tourist destination. The beautiful designs are simply ingrained in our world’s history and they usually tell a story. After further research, I discovered a few straight-forward reasons why Catholics believe art is essential: It mirrors God’s interactions with humans and it assists us with meditations on the life of Jesus and the apostles.

Section CCC #2501 of the Catechism states, "Art is a distinctly human form of expression” and that our ability to create is a gift from God in order that we might mimic Him and give visual and audible form to matters of truth and reality.

Paintings, buildings and statues can inspire our hearts, minds and souls to seek the Lord more intimately and fully, therefore increasing our faith. Put simply, art is good, true and beautiful. However, I can’t discredit the man’s opinion. There is beauty in simplicity. My closest, most emotional, encounters with God involve Masses and Adoration in one of the poorest parts of Peru. The people on Mount Pamplona revealed to me what true freedom looks like. After all, Jesus led a simple, yet extraordinary life.

To disappoint those who thought I might take a side, there is truth in both realms. That still doesn’t answer the question about the Church’s allocation of money. Although I cannot fully satisfy this question with an answer, I’ll explain what I know to be true. 

Much of Christian art is historical and made to last forever, which is for all of humanity. Not only is Catholicism the largest melting pot of races, ethnicities, cultures and languages, but is for people of all economic statuses, therefore benefiting the spiritual lives of everyone who chooses to encounter Christ through the Catholic Church. In my opinion, the art would likely be destroyed, lost or be the host of many debates about its authenticity in years to come, much like relics today if The Church were to give all of it up.

Many people devoted their lives to mosaics, including the work done in the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis I visited not too long ago. Even after the church’s consecration, the interior mosaics were not completed until 1988. Some of its artists died prior to its completion.

A poorly centered photo that beautifully depicts the mosaics in the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis.

Physical, material and physical needs all matter. I’m not here to argue for one over the other, but rather say the obvious: there is a place for charity and art and the church makes significant waves in both.

The following are photos of additional churches Hallie and I visited in St. Louis.

Completed in 1834, the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France was the first cathedral west of the Mississippi River and is the fourth building on the grounds since 1764. It is the oldest active parish on the waterfront.

The Oratory of Saints Gregory and Augustine in Richmond Heights, Missouri (2007)

Oratory of the St. Francis de Sales in St. Louis, Missouri (1907 and 1908), the second largest church in STL only behind the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis.