The Basilica of Saint Mary is named a Minor Basilica by Pope Francis.

“The naming of St. Mary as a minor basilica brings honor to the entire diocese and to Roman Catholics throughout the country,” said Father Hathaway. “As the first Catholic parish in Virginia and West Virginia, learning its history is to gain a greater insight into the spread of the Catholic faith in the former English colonies and throughout our nation.”

In 1788, an Irish aide-de-camp of George Washington, Col. John Fitzgerald, held a fundraiser in his home for the construction of a Catholic church. Washington was the first to donate. In 1795, St. Mary was established as a mission of Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown. Eventually, a church was built on South Royal Street, where the contemporary church stands, and was dedicated by Jesuit Father Francis Ignatius Neale in 1827. 

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge announced on January 14, 2018 that Saint Mary in Old Town Alexandria has been declared a Minor Basilica, in virtue of a decree issued by the Holy See.