Marquette, MI

The city of Marquette is located on the southern shore of Lake Superior equidistant from the eastern and western points of the diocese – about 160 miles west of Sault Ste. Marie, and 150 miles east of Ironwood. Established in 1849, it has since grown to become Marquette the largest center of population in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 1866, the city became recognized as the episcopal See of the Diocese, as the population developed away from Sault Ste. Marie. Hancock was also considered as a potential location for the See due to its size at the time (triple that of Marquette) and its significant mining industry. Ultimately, Marquette was chosen as it had a suitable church, a residence for a bishop, a central location. It may have also helped that the town was named after a Jesuit missionary. 

St. Peter Cathedral

Photograph of St. Peter Cathedral between 1866-1869.

Present day St. Peter Cathedral – photograph courtesy of DOM Archives

History of St. Peter Cathedral

The first Mass in Marquette was celebrated by Father Menet, S. J., in a log cabin located on what is presently Spring Street. Thereafter, only when a priest visited the city would mass be held.

On October 12, 1853, Bishop Frederic Baraga visited the city, confirmed 30 persons, and selected the site for the construction of a new church. This site is where the present St. Peter Cathedral stands today, on the corner of Baraga Avenue and Fourth Street.

The first St. Peter’s Church was a white wooden structure built in 1857. This wooden church would become Bishop Baraga’s residence when the See of the diocese was moved to Marquette and later be moved to its current location in 1872.

In 1864, construction of a larger church with a stone foundation began and was completed in 1866. Bishop Baraga dedicated the Cathedral to St. Peter, the Apostle in May of that year and made the old church his residence. In autumn of 1867 Bishop Baraga suffered a severe stroke while attending the Council of Baltimore in Maryland. Understanding his bishop wanted to die among his flock, Rev. Bourion carried Baraga from the hospital to board a train for the long trip back to Marquette. Death came to the Shepherd of the Wilderness around a year later, in the early morning hours of January 19, 1868, and feast of the Holy Name, to which he was especially devoted.

January 30, 1868 the day of his funeral, was declared a civic day of mourning in the city of Marquette. Despite the bitter cold and blizzard conditions, St. Peter Cathedral was filled to capacity and people stood outside the building to attend the funeral. Both written and oral accounts of the day show that Catholics and non-Catholics alike believed that a Saint, Bishop Baraga himself, had lived and died in their midst.

A fire destroyed the first cathedral in 1879. The original sandstone Cathedral was consecrated in 1890, and a rectory was built next to it during the 1890’s. A second, catastrophic fire struck the Cathedral in 1935, leaving only the exterior walls standing. The building of the present Cathedral began in 1936 and the building was completed in 1938. The formal dedication took place in the summer of 1939.

The new Cathedral was larger in every way. The steeples were higher and adorned with colorful blue and red domes with raised crosses covered with gold leaf. The nave of the church was extended and a Bishop’s chapel was added. Intricate grill work and furnishings of solid oak were installed in the sanctuary. Marble altars, as well as a Bishop’s cathedra of marble adorned with the coat of arms of Bishop Plagens, were added. Massive Romanesque columns were added to support the roof. New stained glass windows portraying the mysteries of our Lord’s life were installed. New Stations of the Cross of intricate mosaic, framed in white marble, were added. The basement was redesigned as a modern hall complete with kitchen, storage and utility rooms to provide the parish with facilities for banquets and other activities with a capacity of 600 people.

The Cathedral was completely redecorated in 1947, alterations done in the 1960s and improvements complete in 1981. Read more here.

The Baraga Chapel

Photograph of Bishop Baraga’s sarcophagus located inside the Baraga Chapel 

Stained glass window of Bishop Frederic Baraga located at the Barga Chapel 

About Bishop Baraga's Remains and the Baraga Chapel

After his passing, Bishop Baraga’s precious remains were placed in a plain, pine coffin and interred under the Cathedral in a specially-made crypt near the Blessed Virgin altar. In 1897, a crypt with six niches was built in the southwest corner of the new sandstone Cathedral after the first fire in 1879. Bishop Baraga’s body was lifted into a steel casket and placed in the lower tier at the southeast corner of the crypt. When the second fire destroyed the Cathedral in 1935, a Bishop’s Chapel was added to the restored Cathedral. A decision was made at this time to excavate the space under the chapel and build a crypt there. A distinct place of honor was reserved for the body of Bishop Baraga. The remains of Bishops Mrak, Vertin, Eis, Magner, and Noa lie in the crypt.

After Bishop Baraga was declared venerable in 2012, an above-ground chapel was built off the south-east side of the Cathedral, known as the Baraga Chapel. This chapel is the final resting place of Venerable Bishop Baraga. Inside you can find a marble sarcophagus in which he is laid to rest, stained glass windows depicting his life and labors, prayer cards, and a place for prayer intentions. This chapel is open and free to the public.

 
 

The Baraga Educational Center and Museum

Photograph of the Baraga House after being moved to its present day location – property of the BBA

Photograph of present day Baraga Educational Center and Museum – property of the BBA

The First Church of Marquette, MI

Built in 1857 behind the present-day St. Peter Cathedral, the “Baraga House” was actually the first Catholic Church in Marquette. Mass was said on the first floor and the pastoral residence was on the second floor. The exterior was originally white-painted clapboard siding. In 1864, Bishop Baraga laid the cornerstone for the new cathedral, which was completed in 1866.

The Home of Bishop Baraga

In 1866, the headquarters of the Catholic Diocese of the Upper Peninsula was transferred to Marquette from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The original wooden church truly became the “Baraga House” when it became Baraga’s residence after the completion of Marquette’s first Cathedral in 1866. Baraga, a true minimalist, did not want any money spent on making the church into a home to be more comfortable for him. He spent most of his time by the wood stove on the first floor, which was the only heat source in the building. He slept on a rustic, simple cot or sometimes directly on the floor.

Moving the House

After Baraga’s passing, his successor Bishop Mrak was not as inclined to live in the old church, and the building was moved across the street for the first time. In late 1872, the building was sold to private owners, and moved a second time to its present location at 615 S. Fourth Street. The church was attached to an existing building on the property and red sandstone brick was added to the exterior. Minor changes were made to the interior room arrangement. Both the interior Italianate decor and the external brick are considered historic. The house was sold again in 1909 as a private residence to the Fleury family. It remained in the Fleury family for nearly 80 years until its purchase by the Diocese of Marquette from the Estate of Wilfred Fleury in 1988.

Restoration and Preservation

Severe water damage in the addition threatened to damage the main part of the original Baraga House. In 2017, the restoration process began in order to restore the house to its original glory. The bones of the house were still strong and the original floors from both Baraga and Fleury times are still being seen and walked on today. Newspaper was found in the walls, likely to be used for insulation. Red wax from Baraga’s letter seals was also found and is considered a historic gem today.

Photograph of the rosary path and prayer gardens located at the Baraga Educational Center and Museum – property of the BBA

Photograph of the newly constructed votve house located on the grounds – property of the BBA

A New Name

The Baraga House officially became the Baraga Educational Center and Museum and opened its doors in August 2018. Today the center is open to the public and serves as a museum, preserving the artifacts and tools used by Bishop Baraga during his ministry and telling the story of the man, the priest, and the Bishop as he ministered throughout the Great Lakes Region. In 2019, Prayer Gardens and a Votive House were added to the grounds.