The Baltimore Basilica (The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

What The Baltimore Basilica (The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) does

The Baltimore Basilica (formally, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is a Roman Catholic parish and America's First Cathedral, completed in 1821 from a design by Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Operated as a parish within the Archdiocese of Baltimore under the pastoral leadership of Archbishop William E. Lori and Rector Father Brendan Fitzgerald, it serves registered parishioners, pilgrims, tourists, and event guests at 409 Cathedral Street in Baltimore, MD, with a secondary oratory (Corpus Christi at 110 W Lafayette Ave). The institution holds three layered designations — Minor Basilica (1937), National Historic Landmark (1971), and National Shrine (1993) — and draws 100,000+ visitors annually.

Its core offerings center on Catholic worship and sacraments (daily and Sunday Mass with confession, perpetual Eucharistic adoration, Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and funerals), faith formation (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Montessori program for ages 3–6), and cultural programming through the Basilica Schola Cantorum and an annual concert series featuring Handel's Messiah and Bach's Mass in B Minor. Operational technology is limited to commodity SaaS: YouTube livestream for remote worship, Flocknote for parish email communications, and AdorationPro for adoration-chapel scheduling. Auxiliary programs include the volunteer-run Sexton's Lodge Café hospitality ministry and the Source of All Hope missionary outreach serving Baltimore's homeless population.

The revenue model is a diversified non-profit mix: recurring Sunday offertory collections and donations (the primary stream), a $10 million capital campaign ('A Legacy of Light, A Living Inheritance'), ticketed concert revenue (Platinum $75 / Gold $50 / General Admission $35), wedding venue fees ($3,000 for non-parishioners, reduced by annual offertory giving), funeral music fees ($350), Mass intentions ($10 suggested donation), votive candle offerings, and religious education tuition ($50 parishioners / $75 non-parishioners). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through in-person worship, free guided tours with requested $5 donation, the website, Flocknote newsletters, and earned media including EWTN Radio appearances.

Name

The Baltimore Basilica (The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

Legal name

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Website

https://americasfirstcathedral.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1821

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Baltimore Basilica is America's First Cathedral (completed 1821), a Roman Catholic parish in Baltimore, MD, serving parishioners, pilgrims, and visitors with daily worship, sacraments, sacred-music concerts, and historic tours under National Shrine and National Historic Landmark designations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAB

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Catholic parish services
• Religious worship services
• Sacred music concerts
• Historic cathedral tours
• Sacramental preparation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes, Offerings, and Donations: Regular Sunday offertory collections and voluntary donations from parishioners constitute the primary revenue stream for parish operations.
2. Wedding Fees: Non-parishioners pay $3,000 for wedding ceremonies; parishioners receive reduced rates based on annual offertory donations. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve dates.
3. Funeral Music Fees: Music fees of $350 apply for funeral Masses ($200 for organist, $150 for cantor).
4. Concert Tickets: Ticketed performances including Handel's Messiah and Bach's Mass in B Minor. Seating tiers include Platinum ($75), Gold ($50), and General Admission ($35), with children under 12 free.
5. Capital Campaign: $10 million 'A Legacy of Light, A Living Inheritance' campaign for historic preservation and mission strengthening.
6. Votive Candle Offerings: Donation-based candle lighting intentions at various saint shrines.
7. Mass Intentions: Suggested donation of $10 for Masses offered for specific intentions.
8. Religious Education Tuition: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program charges $50 per child for parishioners and $75 for non-parishioners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Baltimore Basilica operates as a Roman Catholic parish and historic cathedral providing daily and Sunday Mass, the seven Catholic sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders), guided architectural and historic tours, a professional sacred music program (Basilica Schola Cantorum), an annual concert series featuring Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Mass in B Minor, religious education via Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, 24/7 Perpetual Adoration, and outreach to the homeless through the Source of All Hope program.

Product overview

The Baltimore Basilica operates as a historic Roman Catholic parish offering religious services, spiritual formation programs, and cultural events. Its core offerings include daily and Sunday Mass celebrations with livestreaming, the administration of sacraments (Baptism, First Communion, Marriage, Reconciliation, etc.), and guided architectural/historical tours of America's First Cathedral. The Basilica's cultural programming centers on sacred music through the professional Basilica Schola Cantorum and an annual concert series featuring Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Mass in B Minor. Additional programs include the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Montessori-based children's religious education, the Sexton’s Lodge Cafe hospitality ministry, Perpetual Adoration Chapel with 24/7 coverage, and the Source of All Hope missionary outreach serving Baltimore’s homeless population. The institution also facilitates volunteer opportunities in livestreaming, docent tours, welcome desk, special events, and homeless ministry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Source of All Hope: Missionary program serving the homeless and those in need in Baltimore City
• Sexton's Lodge Cafe
• Basilica Schola Cantorum

Products and services

• Mass and Confession Services Regularly scheduled Catholic Mass celebrations and Confession services open to the public at the main church and crypt chapel, with livestreaming of the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass.
• Guided Historic Tours Free guided tours of the Basilica lasting approximately 45 minutes to one hour, offered Wednesdays and Fridays 9am-12pm and Sundays after the 10:30am Mass, covering the upper church, undercroft, chapel, crypt, and Pope John Paul II Prayer Garden.
• Concert Series Ticketed sacred music concert programming including annual performances of Handel's Messiah and Bach's Mass in B Minor, performed by the Basilica Schola Cantorum, Baltimore Basilica Festival Orchestra, and guest ensembles.
• Basilica Schola Cantorum Professional 8-voice chamber choir dedicated to the Catholic choral tradition, performing Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony, and Baroque masterworks at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass and special liturgical occasions.
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Montessori-based religious formation program for children ages 3-6, held weekly in a specially prepared atrium space on the crypt level, running September through May.
• Livestream Services Live streaming of the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass via YouTube for homebound, sick, and remote worshippers, enabling spiritual communion with Christ and the Church from anywhere in the world.
• Perpetual Adoration Chapel 24/7 Eucharistic Adoration ministry in the Pope Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel, featuring a first-class relic of Pope John Paul II, liturgical artifacts from his 1995 visit, and a Spanish-made tabernacle with custom enamel painting.
• Source of All Hope Missionary outreach program serving the homeless and those in need in Baltimore, with campus life and outreach directorates and supported by volunteer service opportunities.
• Sacraments Administration Provision of Catholic sacraments including Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick, with associated preparation programs.
• Sexton's Lodge Cafe Volunteer-operated hospitality cafe serving free coffee as part of the Basilica's evangelization and community service mission, open Sundays after the 10:30 AM Mass and on selected weekdays.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ visitors annually including parishioners, pilgrims, students, and tourists
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hotel Indigo Baltimore DowntownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocated at 24 West Franklin Street in historic Mt. Vernon YMCA building. Offers Basilica visitors discounted room rates using code 'IXMJE'. Provides complimentary WiFi, fitness center, and onsite Poets restaurant.
• Bakery ExpressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Sexton's Lodge Café, providing baked goods for the café's hospitality ministry.
• Baltimore CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Sexton's Lodge Café, supplying coffee products for the café's free coffee hospitality service.
• Ceremony CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Sexton's Lodge Café, providing coffee products for the café.
• Right FitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Sexton's Lodge Café.
• Young Catholic Professionals of BaltimorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for young adult networking, spiritual growth, and mentorship opportunities. Joint events including Lenten retreats for Basilica young adults.
• Source of All HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMissionary program operating from the Basilica serving the homeless and those in need in Baltimore. Emma Zanotelli serves as Missionary Campus Life Director; Abigail Steele as Director of Outreach.
• Knights of Columbus - Baltimore Basilica ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParish organization under the Source of All Hope umbrella. Hosts Maryland K of C Perpetual Memorial Society Mass intentions.
• Baltimore Basilica Festival Orchestra and ChoircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional orchestra and choir ensemble presenting Handel's Messiah annually under Maestro Edward Polochick's direction.
• Three Notch'd Road: The Virginia Baroque EnsembleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeriod instrument ensemble performing with Basilica Schola Cantorum for Bach's Mass in B Minor (April 2027).
• Maestro Edward PolochickcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConductor of Baltimore Basilica Festival Orchestra and Choir for annual Handel's Messiah performances. Brings 40+ years of experience conducting Messiah in Baltimore.
• Sotto SopraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerItalian restaurant at 405 North Charles St recommended for Basilica visitors. Cucina Italiana cuisine.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: America's largest Catholic basilica, located in Washington, D.C. — the most direct comparator as another Minor Basilica and National Shrine with daily Mass, pilgrimage traffic, sacred music programming, and historic/ceremonial significance.
• Basilica of the Sacred Heart, University of Notre Dame: Catholic basilica at a major U.S. university with comparable sacred music programming, liturgical tradition, and a strong visitor/pilgrim draw rooted in heritage and identity.
• Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville: Catholic cathedral serving as the seat of the Archdiocese of Louisville, with similar parish-plus-pilgrim operations and historic-preservation obligations.
• Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark: Major Catholic basilica and cathedral serving as a mother church, with similar heritage-tourism draw and parish programming in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast U.S. context.
• Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Philadelphia: Mother church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia with similar basilica-style architecture, parish-plus-tourism operations, concerts, and historic preservation needs.
• St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York: Iconic Roman Catholic cathedral in NYC with comparable neoclassical heritage, large visitor/tourist traffic, concerts, weddings, and a national profile — operating a similar ministry-tourism hybrid model.

Regional players

• Christ Church, Philadelphia: Historic Philadelphia congregation with a strong tourism and heritage programming model — adjacent comparator in the religious-cultural venue category.
• Old St. Paul's Church, Baltimore: Historic Baltimore church with a comparable in-city heritage, tour, and parish-tourism hybrid model, providing a same-geography reference point.

Broad incumbents

• Trinity Church, Wall Street: Historic New York congregation with significant tourism, concerts, weddings, and heritage programming — comparable as a religious-cultural venue blending parish and visitor experiences.
• Old North Church, Boston: Historic house of worship with strong tourism, guided tours, ticketed events, and heritage programming — comparable as a religious-heritage site with diversified cultural revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/baltimorebasilica
• Instagraminstagram.com/baltimorebasilica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/basilica-of-the-assumption

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Baltimore Basilica (The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary)