To spot St. Mary’s Cathedral, look for the grand brick building with a row of tall columns at the front entrance and a square tower with a green-topped roof rising above the red tile arches to your right.
Standing here beneath the blue sky, you’ve just arrived at a real piece of living history. This is St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the headquarters-or as I call it, the “control center”-of the Catholic Church in Portland. Picture it: the year is 1925, and Archbishop Alexander Christie, despite being quite ill, rallies the community to build a brand-new cathedral right here at NW 18th and Couch. People from all over Portland pitch in, and like a construction miracle, the doors open just a year later, on Valentine’s Day 1926. First services-no roses, but a lot of prayers!
You’ve probably noticed those big Corinthian columns and red tiled roof-this was the work of architects Jacobberger and Smith, going for a 20th-century Romanesque and Byzantine vibe. The exterior doors are solid white oak with bronze, and the design is full of hidden Roman details, even on the granite sign-history is quite literally written into the walls. The bell tower isn’t just for show! The three bells hanging above you were cast all the way back in the 1880s. For more than a hundred years, they were rung by hand, filling the streets with their voices. These days, motors do the heavy lifting-but the bells still hit those dramatic notes: D, F, and Ab.
Inside, you’d find marble statues of Mary and the Sacred Heart-a little Portland via Switzerland detour-plus stained glass windows from as far back as the 1870s, all rescued from earlier cathedrals. The floors are a patchwork of fine Italian marbles, and the Stations of the Cross lining the walls have been here since day one. In the early ‘90s, a major restoration brought new life-with earthquake-proofing, new lighting, and artistic upgrades fit for a grand old building. There’s something quite moving about knowing this spot still brings people together, nearly a century later. If beautiful buildings had hearts, St. Mary’s would be one beating with a lot of Portland pride-and maybe a little extra chime when someone cracks a joke outside!
For further insights on the art, architectural style and details or the bells, feel free to navigate to the chat section below and inquire.
