The Cathedral of the Plains

Episode 4

Dubbed “The Cathedral of the Plains” by William Jennings Bryan, the Basilica of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen was completed in 1911. It was the largest and tallest church west of the Mississippi River at the time. It was built by the community of Volga Germans who had moved en masse to Victoria, Kansas in the last few decades of the 19th century and in the first decade of the 20th. The community grew quickly through immigration after the Tsar of Russia had rolled back many of the privileges and protections that they had enjoyed in Russia for nearly a century. The Basilica was built in just three years through the hard work and sacrifice of the families of the community. The effort was led by the Capuchin friar who was their pastor, Fr. Jerome Mueller, OFM Cap. He levied a duty of $45, six cartloads of stone, and four cartloads of sand on every male 12 years old and older. Many families took out loans to afford this duty, but they took on this debt willingly to have their church, and they contributed their own time and industry to build it. The title “Cathedral of the Plains” was given by Bryan in 1912 as he arrived in Victoria by train, while stumping for Woodrow Wilson’s presidential election campaign. The church is easily visible from Interstate 70, and is visited frequently by people who are drawn to it due to its size, beauty, and splendor. It was named a Basilica in 2014.

Books

• Sharing Our Best: 125 Years of Recipes and Remembrances
• The American Catholic Almanac

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