Camillus Paul Maes - Bishop of Covington

Bishop of Covington

Father Maes was consecrated bishop by Archbishop William Elder of Cincinnati on January 25, 1885. During Bishop Maes' time in Covington, he arranged for a new cathedral to be built down the street from the cathedral at the time, which was rapidly falling into decay. The bishop designed the cathedral to look exactly like Notre Dame de Paris. The cathedral would not be finished before Bishop Maes' death, and is still unfinished to this day. Bishop Maes brought much help to the missions serving the hills of eastern Kentucky, still in the diocese in that period. Maes was also responsible for starting a diocesan newspaper, now knowing as the Messenger. Bishop Maes served the diocese until his death on May 11, 1915, the longest-serving bishop to date.