ASHEVILLE — Rain fell outside St. Lawrence Basilica Saturday, but for the first time in years, water was no longer a threat to the historic church. After a $7.7 million restoration to stop leaks and repair extensive damage, the 117-year-old Asheville landmark reopened its doors to a joyful celebration.
Bishop Michael Martin joined parishioners, donors and community members Oct. 10 to celebrate the completion of the first phase of a massive renovation project to preserve one of Asheville’s most treasured landmarks.
The “Restoration and Reopening” celebration came nearly a year after the renovation project officially launched last October. Although Masses and sacraments continued throughout construction, the basilica had been closed to visitors on weekdays. Now, its doors will be open daily once again.
Funded by parishioners and donors from across the country, the first phase focused on stopping water intrusion and stabilizing the historic structure. Work included replacing the copper-clad roof on the basilica’s iconic elliptical dome, installing new storm drains, gutters and cornices, stabilizing masonry over one of the side chapels, restoring the dome’s oculus skylight, and repairing damage from Hurricane Helene.
The work marks the first phase of a multi-year restoration effort that could ultimately exceed $30 million.
Plans to restore St. Lawrence Basilica date back two decades. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was designed and built under the supervision of renowned Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino Sr. His distinctive tile vaulting can also be seen in New York landmarks including Carnegie Hall, Ellis Island, Grant’s Tomb and Grand Central Station.
“Just over a year ago I stood here and asked you all to look up at the dome and remember how you felt the first time you entered the basilica,” said parishioner Mary Everist, president of the Basilica Preservation Fund, the non-profit organization focused on the restoration. “This breathtaking space amazes all who walk through those doors. This basilica brings heaven and Earth closer to one another through its beauty and majesty and stands as a testament to our faith in the divine. Now, thanks to the hard work and tireless effort of so many people, this masterpiece will be here to inspire future generations as well.”
Bishop Martin opened Saturday’s celebration with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.
Monsignor Roger Arnsparger, the basilica’s pastor and rector, thanked everyone who contributed to the renovation effort, saying that donations of every size helped make it possible.
“We took on something so wonderful to replicate what was done when the parish first took on building this beautiful church, back when there were so few Catholics in the area at the time,” Monsignor Arnsparger said.
Just as he did when the renovation work kicked off last year, Monsignor Arnsparger held up a silver trowel that Guastavino had presented to the basilica’s first rector and that was used to seal the church’s cornerstone in 1906.
Long-time parishioner Lonnie Gilliam, a founding member of the Basilica Preservation Fund, carried a box containing the names of project donors that will be placed in the basilica’s archives.
Bishop Martin recalled visiting the basilica in 2024 and seeing firsthand the damage that water had caused. He marveled at the progress and praised the community’s commitment to preserving the basilica for future generations.
“You’ve taken something that has been given to us and you’ve allowed it to be a gift for the ages, entrusted it to the care of the future and allowed us to continue to find a home here where we worship, where we’re graced in so many ways and where we can find a connection with one another and with our God,” he said.
Emmett Sapp, the Diocese of Charlotte’s director of construction and real estate, said the work accomplished two critical goals.
“Phase one had two jobs – stop the water and make this building safe – and that work is done,” Sapp said. “Why does this matter? For Asheville, this basilica is part of the skyline and the soul of downtown – a place of beauty and peace for people of every faith. After Hurricane Helene, a restored basilica on this hill is a sign of hope. For our diocese, it is one of our great treasures – a spiritual home for the whole region.”
The celebration also featured remarks from Shannon Brown, project manager for John G. Waite Associates, the project’s architects; Aaron Ernst, senior project manager for North Carolina-based Blum Construction; and Jennifer Cathey of the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office.
It also included several special musical selections, including the processional hymn “O God Beyond All Praising,” set to the melody “Thaxted” from British composer Gustav Holst’s work “The Planets” – chosen because of the theme of looking up and contemplating the heavens through the basilica’s beautiful interior.
The choir also offered Anton Bruckner’s “Locus Iste” and a Santus and Hosanna composed by Guastavino himself, who also was an accomplished musician. The piece is regularly performed at the basilica on special feast days and was doubly meaningful because of the day’s celebration of Guastavino’s architectural beauty.
— Christina Lee Knauss. Photos by Jason Blanco Media.
Watch online – Watch the recording of St. Lawrence Basilica’s “Restoration and Renovation” celebration: