St. Peter's Pro-Cathedral (Richmond, Virginia)
After the Civil War, St. Peter's basement hosted the city's "colored Catholics." The 13-member congregation included Emily Mitchell (born into slavery in 1824, brought from Baltimore and later serving Bishop James Gibbons), Julia Grandison (baptised in Georgia and brought to Richmond at age 9), Moses Marx (who began driving Bishop John Keane's buggy at age 12), Liza Marx (who learned to read and reminded the judge reading her mistress' will that he forgot the lines bequeathing money to Elizabeth Thompson and her next child of issue), and Julia Flippen as well as her children. When the congregation had increased to about 50, including children, Bishop Keane signed a deed for what became St. Jos Church on Shockoe Hill, also inviting the Josephites for help in furthering the Black apostolate.
In 2020 the parish was designated a pro-cathedral as part of the Diocese of Richmond bicentennial celebration.
Gallery
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A photograph of the church from a 1914 publication