About our cathedral

View from the Bishop's Garden at St. John's Cathedral.

An aerial view of St. John's

St. John’s Cathedral is home to a vibrant and diverse congregation in downtown Jacksonville, which gathers for worship and then is sent forth to love and serve the Lord. We trace our heritage to the first Anglican services in Florida which took place onthe banks of the St. John’s River in 1829. The first services on Billy Goat Hill,which remains our physical location, were held in 1834, establishing St. John’s Parish. Since 1951, St. John’s has served as the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. Our identity as a church, “in the heart of the city, with the city in its heart” leads us to continue a strong tradition of outreach ministry, locally and globally.

We are a church, a parish, and a Cathedral. Why Cathedral? The word cathedral comes from the Latin cathedra, meaning bishop’s chair or bishop’s seat. St. John’s is the home of the Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Florida. The Bishop’s chair is in the chancel, along the main axis of the church and in front of the choir.

Part of the rich history of Anglican Cathedrals is education. In keeping with this tradition, Cathedral tours are offered each Sunday following both the 8 am and 10:30 am services of Holy Eucharist. Cathedral tours are led by trained Cathedral Docents. Please look for the Docents in purple robes at the Baptismal Font.

Additional tours for school groups and visitors to the Jacksonville community may be arranged by contacting Canon Administrator, Monica MacKenzie or 632-9104 x24.

Click here for information on lay ministry opportunities at St. John’s.

Publications
Read the latest edition of our Cathedral Quarterly:

Summer 2012 Our Place in the Greater Church

Sign up for our e-newsletter, The Eagle.

Recent editions:

The Eagle, Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, 2012

The Eagle, Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, 2012

The Eagle, Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, 2012

The Eagle, Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, 2012

The Eagle, Fourth Sunday of Pentecost, 2012

The Eagle, Third Sunday of Pentecost, 2012

The Eagle, Second Sunday of Pentecost, 2012