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.