The Cathedral of the Holy Cross is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, standing on Washington Street in the city’s South End. This guide covers opening hours, entry costs, transport or parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
This guide was last updated in September 2026. The cathedral marked its 150th anniversary in December 2025.
It is now led by Archbishop Richard Henning, who succeeded Cardinal Seán O’Malley, its archbishop for over two decades, in October 2024.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Blessed Sacrament Chapel daily 9:00 AM–6:00 PM; main cathedral open during Mass times |
| Ticket price | Free entry; guided tours are free (donations welcomed) |
| Address | 1400 Washington Street (parish office: 75 Union Park Street), Boston, MA 02118 |
| Nearest transport | MBTA Orange Line, Back Bay or Tufts Medical Center station, about 10–13 minutes on foot |
| Typical time needed | 30–45 minutes; up to an hour with a guided tour |
Cathedral of the Holy Cross opening hours
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM for private prayer. The main cathedral itself opens to the public around its Mass schedule, rather than fixed sightseeing hours.
The table below sets out the regular weekly pattern.
| Day | Mass times |
|---|---|
| Saturday (vigil) | 4:30 PM English |
| Sunday | 8:00 AM English; 9:30 AM Spanish; 10:00 AM Latin (Our Lady’s Chapel); 11:30 AM English with Cathedral Choir; 1:00 PM Ge’ez Rite (Our Lady’s Chapel); 5:30 PM English |
| Monday–Saturday | 9:00 AM English (Blessed Sacrament Chapel) |
| Tuesday & Thursday | 7:00 PM Spanish (Blessed Sacrament Chapel) |
Confession is heard on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and Adoration takes place every Thursday from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM. Because the cathedral operates around this liturgical calendar rather than tourist hours, it is worth checking the parish’s own schedule ahead of a visit around a holiday or feast day.
Cathedral of the Holy Cross ticket prices
Entry to the cathedral is completely free, whether attending Mass, praying privately, or joining a public tour. Opening and Mass times were checked against the official Cathedral of the Holy Cross website, last updated in September 2026.
Guided tours last approximately 45 minutes and are free of charge, though donations towards the cathedral’s upkeep are welcomed. Private tours for groups of ten or more can be booked for weekdays or Saturdays.
Public tours run after the 11:30 AM Sunday Mass on select dates, with the next one on 27 September 2026. As a free attraction, the cathedral is not part of paid schemes such as Go City or CityPASS.
How to get to Cathedral of the Holy Cross
The nearest MBTA Orange Line stations are Back Bay and Tufts Medical Center, both roughly a 10 to 13-minute walk away. Silver Line buses SL4 and SL5, along with local routes 10, 15, and 43, all stop within a few minutes of the cathedral on Washington Street or Union Park Street.
Visitors coming from Back Bay, the South End, or downtown Boston can generally walk to the cathedral in under 20 minutes.
Parking at Cathedral of the Holy Cross
The City of Boston offers metered street parking around the cathedral from Monday to Saturday, and this parking is free on Sundays. Several privately run lots are available nearby, including at 500 Harrison Avenue, 324 Albany Street, and 274 Albany Street.
Visitors should read posted signage carefully, since some spaces are reserved for residents or affected by special events. There is no dedicated cathedral car park, so arriving early on a busy Mass day is advisable.
How long to spend at Cathedral of the Holy Cross
A quiet visit to see the interior and Blessed Sacrament Chapel typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. Visitors joining a guided tour, which runs about 45 minutes, should allow closer to an hour in total.
Those attending a Sunday Mass, particularly the 11:30 AM Mass with the Cathedral Choir, should plan for the service to last around an hour.
Accessibility at Cathedral of the Holy Cross
The cathedral is fully wheelchair accessible, with ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms installed as part of its 2018–2019 renovation. The designated accessible entrance and drop-off point is at 74 Union Park Street, next to Our Lady’s Chapel.
Hearing assistance devices and large-print worship aids are available on request, and some accessible parking is set aside nearby for visitors with disabled placards.
Inside Cathedral of the Holy Cross
Designed by the architect Patrick Keely in the Gothic Revival style, the cathedral was built from local Roxbury puddingstone and grey limestone between 1866 and 1875. At its dedication, it was the largest Catholic church in New England, with room for around 1,700 to 2,000 worshippers.
The cathedral’s most treasured feature is its Hook & Hastings organ, installed in 1875 and known as Opus 801. With 101 ranks across three manuals and pedal, it remains the largest surviving instrument built by the once-prestigious Hook & Hastings company.
The building has hosted several nationally significant events, including Cardinal William O’Connell’s funeral Mass in 1944, a requiem Mass for President John F. Kennedy in 1964, and a visit from Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 1988. In 2013, it hosted an interfaith service following the Boston Marathon bombing, attended by President Barack Obama.
Between 2018 and 2019, a $26 million renovation restored the cathedral’s stonework, refinished its ceiling, and installed new stone flooring and illuminated stained glass. The project, led by Elkus Manfredi Architects, also modernised the building’s accessibility, lighting, and mechanical systems while preserving its historic character.
Today, the cathedral serves a multicultural parish, holding Masses in English, Spanish, the Extraordinary Form in Latin, and the Ethiopian-Eritrean Rite in Ge’ez. More than 2,100 Masses are celebrated here each year.
The cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, recognising both its architecture and its role in the city’s history. An active organ restoration campaign is also under way, aimed at preserving the historic Hook & Hastings instrument for future generations of visitors and worshippers.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit on a weekday morning, outside the daily 9:00 AM Mass, to see the interior quietly. |
| Crowds | The 11:30 AM Sunday Mass, with the Cathedral Choir, draws the largest congregation of the week. |
| Layout | Enter from Washington Street for the main nave, or from Union Park Street for step-free access near Our Lady’s Chapel. |
| Entry process | There is no ticket booth; visitors are welcome to enter quietly outside of private events and weddings. |
| On-site logistics | Street parking is free on Sundays, so bring coins or a parking app for a weekday visit. |
Frequently asked questions about Cathedral of the Holy Cross
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Cathedral of the Holy Cross free to visit? | Yes, entry and Mass attendance are both free. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Cathedral of the Holy Cross? | No, though private group tours of ten or more should be booked ahead. |
| Is Cathedral of the Holy Cross open on Sundays? | Yes, with Masses running throughout the day from 8:00 AM. |
| Are bags allowed at Cathedral of the Holy Cross? | Yes, there is no bag check for general visits. |
| Is Cathedral of the Holy Cross suitable for children? | Yes, families are welcome at Mass and on guided tours. |
Things to do near Cathedral of the Holy Cross
- Boston Center for the Arts: a South End performance and gallery complex, about a five-minute walk away.
- SoWa Art + Design District: a cluster of galleries and studios, with an open-air market on Sundays in season.
- Union Park: a historic Victorian garden square, just a few minutes from the cathedral on foot.
- Tremont Street: a well-known South End restaurant row, popular for brunch and dinner.
- Copley Square and Trinity Church: Boston’s historic Back Bay square, about a 15-minute walk away.
Alternative attractions
- Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Mission Church): a grand Roxbury basilica, about a 15-minute drive away.
- Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul: a Patrick Keely-designed cathedral in Providence, Rhode Island, around a 1-hour drive away.
- Cathedral of St. Paul: the mother church of the Diocese of Worcester, roughly a 1-hour drive away.
- Cathedral of St. Joseph: another Patrick Keely design, in Manchester, New Hampshire, about a 1-hour drive away.
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception: the seat of the Diocese of Portland, Maine, around a 2-hour drive away.
More Boston travel
Other Boston travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Tackle the key sites on the Freedom Trail: The Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, Paul Revere House and the Old North Church.
- Use the Boston CityPass to visit the New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Franklin Park Zoo and View Boston observation deck.
- Go back in time at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.
- What you need to know about the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
- Exploring the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, JFK Birthplace and Olmsted Park in Brookline.
