RALEIGH -- A new chapter begins for the Diocese of Raleigh on Wednesday as the “Holy Name of Jesus” Cathedral is unveiled.
This will be the new home church of the Bishop of the Diocese, which covers 54 counties in the central and eastern part of state.
The journey to build the cathedral took six years of planning and donations.
The cornerstone of the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral has already been blessed by His Holiness Pope Francis, but on Wednesday afternoon, everyone else gave their blessings to the rest of the building.
The cathedral fits 2,000 people, and the first mass drew a capacity crowd.
Bishop Michael Burbidge, who led the Diocese of Raleigh until last year and advocated for the cathedral's construction, presided over the dedication.
He said the new cathedral will bless the community for decades to come and reflected on the effort it took to get it built.
"People asked, 'Can we really do this?' Today the Diocese of Raleigh, you have answered that question," said former bishop of Raleigh, Bishop Michael Burbidge.
Holy Name of Jesus fits 2,000 parishioners, a far cry from the historic Sacred Heart Cathedral's capacity of 300 people.
The choosing of the site and the name were no accident, either.
The land has been a part of the Diocese since the 1890s, when a small chapel stood there named The Holy Name of Jesus.