Co-Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Juneau

The Co-Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Juneau and an important part of the city’s religious history. The parish was established in 1885 to serve the growing mining communities of the Silverbow Basin, and the first church building was completed the following year. The current structure, finished in 1910, replaced the original church and later became the cathedral of the newly established Diocese of Juneau in 1951.

Despite its small size, the church has played a central role in the development of Catholic life in Southeast Alaska. Over the decades, it served a growing Catholic population in the region, including communities that expanded beyond downtown Juneau, such as the creation of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in the Mendenhall Valley in 1972. Its modest scale reflects the practical character of many early Alaskan churches, built to serve a relatively small but geographically dispersed population.

The Co-Cathedral also became part of a notable moment of cooperation among Juneau’s religious communities. After the 2006 fire destroyed Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, the Catholic parish opened its parish hall to the displaced Episcopal congregation, allowing services to continue while the church was rebuilt.

In 2020, following the merger of the Diocese of Juneau with the Archdiocese of Anchorage, the church became a co-cathedral of the newly formed Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau, sharing this status with Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral in Anchorage. The building is currently closed for a planned structural and interior renovation project, with services temporarily held in the parish hall.