Jean-Baptiste Lamy - Bishop Lamy

Bishop Lamy

Lamy’s early efforts as Bishop were directed to reforming the New Mexico church, the building of more churches in the territory, the creation of new parishes, and the establishment of schools. He ended the marriage of priests and suppressed religious brotherhood societies within individual communities.

On February 12, 1875, the Diocese of Santa Fe was elevated to an archdiocese with Bishop Lamy as its first archbishop.

Lamy was responsible for the construction of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (commonly known as St. Francis Cathedral) and Loretto Chapel. Both buildings were built in the style of the Romanesque churches of France familiar to Lamy.

Lamy died of pneumonia in 1888 and is buried under the sanctuary floor of the Basilica. A bronze statue, dedicated in 1925, stands in his memory outside the front entrance of the Basilica, and the town of Lamy, New Mexico was named after him.

Lamy was succeeded as Archbishop of Santa Fe by Jean-Baptiste Salpointe, also from Auvergne, France.