Catholics in Tennessee are relatively few but strong and growing. About 8% of Tennesseans are Catholic, making it the third-least Catholic state in the country. But the number of Catholics is growing fast: The Diocese of Knoxville alone is ranked among the top 10 in the nation for its rate of adult conversions.
Catholics first visited Tennessee as early as the 1500s, but a stable Catholic presence didn’t appear until the 1800s. The first Catholics to set foot in what is now the state of Tennessee were Spanish explorers. Hernando De Soto and his army landed in present-day Tampa, Florida in 1539, and marched north and west in search of treasure.
De Soto brought priests with him, but not the Holy Mass. From Europe, the priests had carried wheat and wine for celebrating the Eucharist, but the wheat was lost or destroyed in battle soon after their arrival. They were unable to celebrate Mass or receive Holy Communion for well over a year.
In fact, it would be more than a century before the first Mass was celebrated in the region, when Father Jacques Marquette accompanied the exploratory mission of Louis Joliet in 1682 and celebrated Mass where the Wolf River joined the Mississippi.
Today, Tennessee is home to many beautiful churches, shrines, religious communities, and other important Catholic places. If you’re a resident of the Volunteer State, or just visiting, don’t miss these holy sites.
1
Cathedral of the Incarnation, Nashville
The Cathedral of the Incarnation is rich in history and tradition. In 1902, the Nashville bishop acquired the property near Vanderbilt University. Construction on the church itself began in 1910 with the erection of the bell tower and the building was completed and dedicated on July 26, 1914.
Nashville architect Christian A. Asmus modeled the design of the Cathedral on some of the most famous churches in Italy, especially Santa Maria Novella in Florence. The result is a stylish, elegant, and satisfying ecclesiastical structure decorated in Thirteenth Century Italian Renaissance style.
Today the Cathedral offers many devotions and ministries, as well as an active events calendar including potluck dinners, parties, receptions, movie nights, and children’s events. If you’re in Nashville, hopefully you’ll get a chance to catch one of the cooking classes or tasting nights! We’ve never seen these kinds of events at a cathedral before, but sign us up!
2
St. Peter Catholic Church and St. Martin de Porres National Shrine and Institute, Memphis
You get two sites in one visit at this special spot! Dating from the 1850s, St. Peter’s is the oldest Catholic parish in the region, and the present structure is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Memphis. The present church was built around a smaller church, which was then dismantled and carried out the door. With its vaulted ceilings, Gothic characteristics and upward-thrusting arches, St. Peter Church is a historical masterpiece and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
St. Peter’s is also host to the St. Martin de Porres National Shrine and Institute, a place of prayer, service, and study where pilgrims encounter Christ through the example of St. Martin de Porres, the Apostle of Charity. The shrine is open daily for prayer and sponsors events throughout the year, especially around the time of his feast day on November 3.
3
Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga
This church has quite the history! Sts. Peter and Paul was founded in January 1852, when Father Henry V. Brown — a Presbyterian convert — became the first pastor. Catholics in Chattanooga met for Mass in a number of buildings from the early 1840s through the parish’s early years until 1890, when the current building on Eighth Street was dedicated.
In one especially wild historical fact, one of the former buildings included a nearly completed stone church that the occupying Union Army demolished in 1863, using the stone for fortifications and culverts!
Ground was broken for a new church in 1888, and the church was dedicated in 1890. The church was likely inspired by England’s York Minster cathedral and features stained glass windows designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, yes, of that Tiffany & Co.!
The basilica’s principal organist Russell Goode was named a “Chattanooga Living Legend” in 2007, having held the position since 1960. In 2011, the church was elevated to a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI and underwent a restoration project that was completed in 2019. This beautiful and historic church hosts a huge array of events for all ages and interests and is definitely worth a visit!
4
The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Knoxville
It was determined in 1952 that Knoxville needed a third parish to enable the works of an expanding Catholic population. Six acres of the William Towle farm were purchased in 1953 for this purpose, and the first pastor celebrated the first Mass in the new church at midnight on Christmas 1956.
Today this parish has become the mother church of the diocese and includes a school and lots of programs and events. An online tour booklet is available for self-guided tours if you get a chance to visit!
5
Shrine of St. Faustina of the Divine Mercy, Bartlett
Housed beside St. Ann’s Catholic Church, the Shrine of St. Faustina of the Divine Mercy is home to first-class relics of St. Faustina and hosts a daily Holy Hour, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Rosary.
BONUS
Virgin of the Poor Shrine, New Hope
For 40 years, this small stone shrine off the beaten path has offered a place for quiet contemplation and prayer for the pilgrims who venture there. Its origin lies with an apparition of Our Lady: In 1933, the Virgin Mary appeared to an 11-year-old girl, Mariette Beco, in Banneux, Belgium. Over two months, she appeared eight times, describing herself as the “Our Lady of the Poor.” This apparition was approved by the local bishop in 1942.
You might be wondering how a Belgian apparition led to a shrine in rural Tennessee, and you can read the whole remarkable story here. We will just say that this peaceful and beautiful spot is the perfect place to pray the Rosary and enjoy some quiet conversation with God!
And today we celebrate...