Looking ahead, you can spot the Basilica of St. Peter by its soaring, slate-gray spire topped with a cross and its distinct dark red brick walls accented with limestone - just glance past the playground to see its dramatic Gothic appearance rise above the surrounding trees.
Now, take in the imposing sight of the very first basilica in South Carolina - a title so new, it was only granted in 2018 by the Vatican! Imagine it's 1820, and Columbia’s first Catholic priest is arriving in a dusty town where Catholics were few and far between. The parish quickly grew, and by 1824, famed South Carolina architect Robert Mills had designed their first church. Sadly, that original gem was demolished to make place for the magnificent Gothic Revival sanctuary you’re gazing at now, its construction beginning in 1906 under the watchful eye of Father Thomas J. Hegarty. The result is a symphony of Bedford limestone trim, rich brick, and a cruciform shape, with a high nave stretching out 64 feet above your head. Legend has it that the 3,500-pound bell, cast in Baltimore in 1911, sometimes startled even the bravest parishioners with its mighty clang. Today, as South Carolina’s oldest Catholic parish, the basilica is not only a beacon for Columbia, but a spot that’s seen weddings, funerals, and maybe even the occasional playground escape to those grounds behind you.
