Introduction

The Cathedral church and parish is named for Saint Matthew the Apostle, the patron saint of civil servants, recognizing all those who serve in the municipal, state, and national governments and the many international organizations located in the metropolitan area. The church is the seat or cathedra of the Archbishop of Washington. As the Mother Church of the archdiocese, it plays a major role in the Catholic life of the nation’s capital.

Our Mission

We, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle, Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Washington, are a diverse and multi-cultural parish in our nation’s capital under the care of our Archbishop.

As a Christian community of faith, we seek to become closer to God through worship, prayer, sacraments, spiritual formation, and fellowship. Strengthened by this, we go forth proclaiming the good news of salvation in Christ Jesus and serving our brothers and sisters with our time, talents, and treasure. Through our evangelization in word and deed, we strive to be the light of the world as proclaimed by Saint Matthew.

Our History

Established in 1840, the parish church originally was located at 15th and H Streets, N.W. Construction of the present church began in 1893 under the direction of Monsignor Thomas Sim Lee. The first Mass was celebrated on June 2, 1895. The church was formally dedicated in 1913 and designated a cathedral in 1939 when the Archdiocese of Washington was established. View more