St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City

As an Irish-American Catholic, I have truly come to love coming to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The Priests who preside over the affairs of the Church are excellent and really like to make you feel welcome. Plus the beauty of the Church is just breathtaking and the restoration project has been phenomenal. We've been Parishioners now for a year and a half and there's no other Church that I'd rather be coming to. We love it. Also my daughter can and does pray to Mother Mary. She's getting to be quite the astute adherent. We will keep coming for years to come.

Located on Fifth Avenue 51st street , across from Rockefeller Center, the sanctuary is the largest Gothic Catholic cathedral in the US. This international landmark, dedicated in 1879, welcomes more than five million visitors each year. With its 330-foot spires, it is one of the city’s most spectacular architectural sights. Inside, it boasts a seating capacity of 2,400, numerous altars and stained glass windows, and a giant organ with 7,855 pipes.

Beautiful downtown NYC Cathedral. St. Patrick's is a beautiful, classic, European Gothic style cathedral. We have visited dozens of churches and cathedrals here in the U.S. and in Europe and St. Patrick's can hold its own with most. It is beautiful inside and out and unlike many NYC downtown churches you can walk completely around this one and appreciate the outside as well as the inside. It has gorgeous stained glass and a beautiful pipe organ. It is open and welcoming to the public. My reason for the four stars instead of five was that perhaps it is too welcoming. Inside, despite the beauty, it felt more like a tourist attraction than a church. It was crowded, which is not unusual for a large European cathedral, but it was also noisy. There was little feeling of awe or reverence. The balance between welcoming and maintaining reverence is perhaps harder to achieve in New York. That's not necessarily a criticism, but simply an observation on the personality of the city. New York is a busy, noisy, boisterous, beautiful city. St. Patrick's was much the same the day we visited. We did not take a tour but would have liked to had we more time. If we ever visit NYC again I would certainly go back.

What a stunning building. We loved the architecture. You can literally feel the history walking around the cathedral. Its very easy to spot as it stands out so much as you approach. The inside took my breath away.

This Cathedral is America's Parish Church, since virtually millions of people visit and worship in this Sacred Place. . Safety and security are a high priority, because of the Building's significance. However, the security staff and ushers can be very accommodating. . Scheduled Mass times are listed on the Saint Patrick's Cathedral website, with fliers in the Cathedral, too. People can also call the Cathedral for information. Sundays are the major day of worship, so because of the large number of visitors, it would be prudent to arrive early for preferred seating. . Rest Rooms can be found in the Olympic Tower Atrium, 643 Fifth Avenue, with the entrance on Fifty-first Street. Also, Saks Fifth Avenue, the Department Store, is on the Fiftieth Street side, where Rest Rooms can be found on several floors within the building. . For security reasons all large handbags, backpacks and other luggage will be carefully checked. . There is a Gift Shop in the Cathedral, as-well-as, across from the Parish House on Fifty-first Street near Madison Avenue for your shopping convenience. . Enjoy the peace and tranquility of this Space for open prayer and meditation. Or, just to sit and rest your feet for a while in God's Very Special Place on New York City's Manhattan Island. .