Cathedral Rear view

Looking towards the rear of the cathedral from here, you can see many beautiful items of interest.

Looking up behind the choir loft, you can see more of Hugo Ohlms murals.

The theme here is the history of the city of saint Augustine, and the history of the first parish.

The large scene above show Pedro Menendez and Father Lopez, coming to shore on September 8,1565.

Other scenes here depict the building of the first church, prior explorers of the west, and the arrival of the Minorcans, led by Father Camps.

Also Bishop  Verot, the first Bishop of the diocese of saint Augustine.

In the choir loft you will see the stained glass "Alleluia Window" depicting an angel playing the harp.

In the center, in front of the organ console, you will see a beautiful statue of Mary. This depiction is "Our Lady of La Leche" – Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Delivery.

Be sure to visit the Mission of Nombre De Dios mission grounds, located one mile north of the cathedral, on San Marco ave.

It was on this sacred ground that the Spanish settlers would begin devotion to Our Lady of La Leche, Nuestra Señora de La Leche y Buen Parto, Mary nursing the infant Jesus. In the early 1600s, the Spanish settlers of Saint Augustine established this first Shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the United States.

Looking at floor level, you can see a baptismal font. 

One of the towns along the principal pilgrim route of the "Camino", in Spain, is Santervas de Campos, birthplace of  Ponce de Leon, who landed on our shores in 1513, and named our area "La florida", claiming the area for the king of Spain, paving the way for Pedro Menendez to arrive here in 1565 and found the city, and parish of Saint Augustine

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of the European discovery of Florida by their native son, Ponce de Leon, the villagers of Santervas de Campos, gifted a replica of the baptismal font in which Ponce was baptized after his birth in 1474, to the city of Saint Augustine.  It’s location In the Basilica Cathedral of Saint Augustine is just one of the many reminders we have as parishioners, towns people, and visitors, of our close ties to Spain.

now lets continue into the vestibule, move in front of the candles and window to your left, then, play the next stop.