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Known for its stunning woodlands and mountains, West Virginia is home to close to 2 million residents but not a whole lot of Catholics, at only 8% of the state population.
Yet the Catholic community there is small but mighty, and the Mountain State has a number of beautiful and inspirational religious sites, offering opportunities for prayer and pilgrimage for residents and visitors.
1
Cathedral of St. Joseph, Wheeling
The Cathedral of St. Joseph is home to Wheeling’s oldest Catholic parish, dating to 1822 and Mother Church to the city’s other parishes. It has been the liturgical heart of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston since the diocese’s erection by Pope Pius IX in 1850 and is an architectural and artistic treasure in both the city and state. The current cathedral dates from 1926 and is an incredibly beautiful and visually stunning masterpiece.
2
St. Anthony’s Shrine, Boomer
Only one Catholic church in West Virginia is venerated as a “shrine” — a place of special devotion that contains a saint’s relic.
Established in 1928, the shrine to St. Anthony is a mission of nearby Immaculate Conception Parish and is known as something of a mystery in the surrounding region.
3
St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, Harpers Ferry
St. Peter’s Church holds a prominent spot on the heights above Harpers Ferry. The original pseudo-Gothic church was built when construction of a nearby canal and railroad brought an influx of Irish laborers to the area in the early 1830s. Completed in 1833, St. Peter’s Catholic Church symbolizes America’s melting pot tradition and the customs, habits, and religion of the early Irish immigrants.
During the Civil War, to protect the church from Union and Confederate shells, Father Costello flew the British Union Jack flag as a symbol of the church’s neutrality. St. Peter’s made it through the war relatively unscathed and was the only church in the city to escape destruction.
St. Peter’s was remodeled to its present appearance in 1896. The parish was closed in 1995 but remains in the care of nearby St. James Parish in Charles Town. St. Peter’s is now maintained as a historic chapel within Harpers Ferry National Park, and Father Costello’s grave is on the grounds. Mass is still celebrated there every Sunday.
4
St. James the Greater Catholic Church, Charles Town
Believed to be the largest Catholic church in the state, St. James Catholic Church was dedicated in 2006 with a 2-mile procession from the old church building to the new, as church members carried altar items, statues and other sacred objects.
The completion of the new building was a welcome change, as the parish congregation numbers over 3,000 and the old church only seated 276, necessitating 7 Masses every weekend to accommodate everyone.
The new church is decorated with 100 stained-glass windows—including 13 stained-glass windows transferred from the old church—an altar made of Italian Botticino marble, and numerous statues carved by craftsmen in Peru.
The church is home to an extraordinary 85 ministries and is a vibrant hub of the local community.
5
Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Charleston
While the parish dates back to 1866, the present beautiful church building dates to 1897, although it has been updated with many renovations over the years.
The marble high altar and stained-glass windows from Munich, Germany, were added in 1909 and the three bells added to the tower in 1911 are named St. Richard, St. Joseph, and the Blessed Virgin and weigh 2,600 pounds, 1,500 pounds and 700 pounds respectively.
With an attached school and various ministries, the Co-Cathedral is a place of welcome, prayer and evangelization.
And today we celebrate...