It’s known as the Cathedral of the Prairie — St. Patrick Catholic Church in Pana. Finished in 1926, the history of this Catholic community goes back several generations.

“The history of Catholics in Pana is from the establishment of the Illinois Central Railroad,” said Father Rodney Schwartz, pastor. “In the 1850s, St. Patrick was formed. Catholics met in businesses, houses, and even rail cars.”

Visitors to St. Patrick often wonder: Why is there such a large, cathedral-looking church in Pana? There is some speculation it was built to become the new cathedral for what was the Diocese of Alton at the time. The area had several things going for it too, if St. Patrick was indeed trying to become the cathedral of the diocese — including Pana’s central location in the diocese, a thriving rose and greenhouse industry, oil refinery, and a vibrant economy.

“The population then was a lot larger than it is now,” Father Schwartz said. “The number of Catholics was quite sizable. At one time, there were four coal mines operating simultaneously in Pana. The newest coal mine, the fifth coal mine, wasn’t developed until the 1950s. So, it was a very Catholic area.”

Ss. Peter and Paul in Alton instead became the cathedral of the Diocese of Alton. Then, on Oct. 26, 1923 Pope Pius XI announced the transfer of the see from Alton to Springfield.

Because of Pana’s rich coal mine history, you will see a statue of St. Barbara inside (shown right), who is the patron saint of coal miners. So then, why is the parish called St. Patrick? That’s because most of the first Catholics in the Pana area were Irish.

“They helped build the Illinois Central railroad and so St. Patrick was chosen as the patron name,” Father Schwartz said.

The dream of Father JP Moroney, pastor of St. Patrick when it was dedicated in 1926, the Renaissance style architecture of St. Patrick Church is inspired by two churches in Italy: Templo Malatestiano in Rimini and the Basilica of Sant’Andrea in Mantua.

Another beautiful element of St. Patrick are the acoustics. Millikin University’s choir in Decatur have recorded several albums there. So, the next time you are in the Christian County area, stop by St. Patrick Church.

“The church feels almost like a womb, being protected from the outside world,” Father Schwartz said. “So, it’s a different vibe, but it’s a beautiful vibe.”