About St. Patrick Church

A prayerful community since 1838

A Rich History

St. Patrick Parish was established in 1838 and its original building was the first church in Cairo, Illinois.  The current church building is the third since the parish began.  It was built in 1894 in the Romanesque style of architecture and is built of Bedford stone.  It is a two-story structure with the main church upstairs and a smaller chapel and parish hall downstairs. The furnishings of the chapel on the lower floor are from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cairo, which was closed in 1961.  

Reverent Beauty

The church has 16 stained glass windows on the north and south walls depicting the birth of Christ, the crucifixion and various saints.  There are four original oil paintings  of the archangels St. Michael and St. Gabriel, and St. Peter and St. Paul.  They are located behind the dome-like wall of the sanctuary.  

The Parish

The parish has a rich history dating from its beginning, especially during the Civil War when General U. S. Grant had a headquarters in Cairo.  At one time, there were three Catholic parishes in Cairo.  St. Joseph Parish and St. Columba Parish were both closed during the 1960s and became a part of St. Patrick Parish.  

Our parish administrator Father Chris Mujule resides at our partner parish, St. Rose of Lima Parish, in Metropolis, Illinois.  

A look inside

St. Patrick Catholic Church is one of the most beautiful buildings in historic Cairo, Illinois. We hope you’ll join us for Mass or a service soon!