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WELCOME

Welcome to the Basilica of St. Fidelis, "the Cathedral of the Plains".  We are located at 900 Cathedral Avenue in Victoria, Kansas. On May 14, 1971, St. Fidelis Church was placed in the National Register of Historic Places as a building of "architectural significance." On January 29, 2008, the church was named one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas. On February 21, 2014, the church was declared a minor basilica by the pope.

The basilica welcomes over 16,000 tourists a year. It is open during daylight hours for anyone wishing to visit. An audio tour is available through four tour boxes located in the west vestibule and down the center aisle of the church. You may contact the Parish Office at 785-735-2777. 

 

MASSES CELEBRATED AT

THE BASILICA OF ST. FIDELIS

Sunday Mass is celebrated in the Basilica of St. Fidelis on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings. Mass is also celebrated daily.

The Basilica of St. Fidelis is associated with two nearby churches: St. Ann Catholic Church in Walker, Kansas, and St. Boniface Catholic Church in Vincent, Kansas. Mass is celebrated at both of these churches either on Saturday or Sunday. Click here for specific Mass times.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available weekly. Click here for times.

The Parish Office for all three churches is located at 601 10th Street, Victoria.  Click here for details. 

History of Churches in Victoria

ONE OF THE 8 WONDERS OF KANSAS

"8 Wonders of Kansas"

St. Fidelis Church was named as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas during a ceremony held at the Capitol in Topeka on January 29, 2008. The announcement was made by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.  The 8 Wonders of Kansas campaign was sponsored by the Kansas Sampler Foundation and encouraged the exploration of Kansas’s many spectacular sites.

The public nominated places in Kansas and then on June 1, 2007, the Kansas Sampler Foundation announced 24 finalists. People were encouraged to vote for the the 8 they found most interesting. Voting ended on December 31, 2007, with over 24,000 votes being cast.

Click here for more info on 8 Wonders of Kansas.

BASILICA OF ST. FIDELIS
TITLES AND HONORS

William Jennings Bryan, three-times a candidate for President of the United States, visited St. Fidelis in 1912 and nicknamed it the "Cathedral of the Plains." It is not a cathedral in the strict sense, not being a bishop's church. The Kansas State Historical Society has designated this church as one of the religious treasures of the state. On May 14, 1971, the federal government inscribed the church in the National Register of Historical Places as a building of "architectural significance." On May 25, 1986, Bishop George Fitzsimons of Salina, by a special act of consecration and dedication, set aside the marble altar and church for the perpetual and exclusive use of worship. On January 29, 2008, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius pronounced St. Fidelis as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas, a project sponsored by the Kansas Sampler Foundation to determine Kansas’ most important natural or manmade wonders.

On March 6, 2014, the parish was notified that the church was declared a minor basilica. The honor was official as of February 21, 2014. St. Fidelis is the first basilica in Kansas and the 78th in the United States. As a basilica, the church displays a tintinnabulum (bell) and an ombrellino (umbrella) in the sanctuary as symbols of the basilica's link to the pope. Its official name is now The Basilica of St. Fidelis.

The church has receive many honors, but the highest have been bestowed by countless pilgrims, worshippers, and visitors, who come to this temple in search of God.