The Best Churches in Jacksonville

It's a Cathedral now and has been elevated to basilica . It's nice that this beautiful building is recognized for its longevity and loveliness. The pipe organ is incredible, filling the soaring ceiling with blasts of airy music, at times triumphant and others, mournful. The majestic tunes ricochet over marble and faux marble surfaces, around gilded details and stone faced Angels. Saints implore on your behalf, standing serene over flickering votive candles and everywhere the echo of a hundred years of prayers and masses, priests and parishioners linger in the solemn air. The stained glass is a wonder, light pouring in through colored panes telling bible stories in rays of sunshine.

How you gonna give a gorgeous church 3 stars? WWJD. Bright, lofty, airy, beautiful art for the stations of the cross, rising Jesus (in place of a crucifix) is glorious and the metal filigree behind the altar enclosing the baptismal font is simply incredible. It's not the legendary St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC but this is the house the Lord built. Praise and worship and love your fellow human beings. May God be with you....

I love St. Matthew's and I love Father Jose! He is such an amazing Priest and gives such wonderful homilies. He was my Priest at St. Patrick's before we moved down to Orlando and when we moved back to Jax, it was such a nice surprise that he is now the Priest at this Parish near my home. St. Matthew's also has such a wonderful and welcoming community. I feel very blessed to live so close. There's a wonderful school here which I highly recommend. Both of my children went through parochial school through the 8th grade at St. Patrick's. You just can't give a better education to your child... at least that's my humble opinion. The Church itself is beautiful both inside and out.