Bratwursts sizzled on the grill, root beer poured from a keg, and a German band struck up a lively “oom-pah-pah” — the Basilica of St. Mary’s annual Oktoberfest had begun.
But this year’s fest was no ordinary autumnal celebration. A large balloon arch bearing the number “230” served as a reminder of the Alexandria parish’s 230th anniversary.
At a special Mass before the Oct. 5 festival, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge commended the parish on the milestone. “You are a very vibrant and faith-filled parish, and a great gift to me and to our diocese,” he said. “Whenever I visit, it’s very, very clear you love the Lord, you are devoted to his Blessed Mother, and you seek to serve others, especially those who need our help and support the most. So, for your faithful witness, I give great thanks to all of you and ask God to continue to bless your work.”
The basilica’s thriving community of today started as the small Catholic parish of St. Mary’s, founded by a hearty group of Catholics who had “mustard-seed faith,” according to Father Edward C. Hathaway, rector. “Our parish, founded in 1795, holds the great distinction of being the first Catholic parish in Virginia, a community that took root when Catholics were few and often misunderstood in our new nation,” he said in his homily. “Let this 230th anniversary of our parish be a moment when we remember that parish life is not just about buildings or programs — it is about people and grace. It is about the family of God.”
Massgoers continued the anniversary celebration with the Oktoberfest at the Basilica School of St. Mary. “O’zapft is!” — meaning, “It’s tapped!” — declared Father James R. Searby, parochial vicar, officially opening the fest. “Danke schön,” he thanked the crowd.
Festival-goers were treated to dances and alphorn music by the D’Potomactaler Stamm folk dancers, and brass and woodwind music by the Mount Vernon German Band. Hungry parishioners indulged in sauerkraut, potatoes, and other German fare, while Father Hathaway and Bishop Burbidge carved a roasted pig in traditional Oktoberfest style. Kids enjoyed petting fluffy alpacas at a petting zoo, trying face paint designs, and tasting a draught from the child-friendly root beer keg.
“The people who belong to the parish and come to these events have a sense of belonging to something that’s very much alive and vibrant,” said Knight of Columbus William Beach, who assisted Bishop Burbidge and Father Hathaway with serving the pulled pork. “It just testifies to Christ’s work in the world and how the Holy Spirit brings us together.”
The parish has found no shortage of ways to celebrate turning 230. Last year, the parish published the newest edition of its history book, “Brick Chapel to Basilica: A History of Virginia’s Oldest Parish.” The parish also opened a museum, featuring historical documents and artifacts, located at the parish offices. Virginia Nyce, basilica archivist, trained parishioners to serve as docents and give history tours to pilgrimage groups. This year, Bishop Burbidge designated the basilica as one of eight churches for the diocese’s Holy Year pilgrimage.
The school was not left out, either. In early June, fourth graders presented a 230th anniversary history pageant.
The basilica also launched a commemorative board game, “Basilica-opoly.” “Basilica-opoly,” according to Father Hathaway, “is a divinely inspired twist on the classic real estate board game.” Players purchase various parish properties — including the parish Lyceum, rectory and even the basilica itself — while avoiding pitfalls such as Alexandria parking tickets, poor box “donations,” and the dreaded “Double Parked” space, which substitutes as a jail.
One parishioner recalled the lengthy application process for St. Mary Church to be designated a minor basilica. Mary Petrino gave a church tour to twin priests from the Diocese of Rochester, N.Y., Fathers Richard and Robert Beligotti, in 2010. “They told me, ‘This church should be named a basilica,’ ” she remembered. Seven years later, the priests’ intuition would become a reality.
When Father Hathaway arrived as pastor in 2015, he assembled a group of parish apostolate leaders, including Petrino. It wasn’t long before Petrino found herself on a committee to help draft an application. In order to apply, a church must fulfill several requirements such as a regular celebration of the sacraments, a historical significance to the diocese, an adequate number of priests, and an adequate Schola of sacred music. They even had to obtain an architectural survey, which compiled “all the floor plans that would designate the architectural elements of the basilica, the windows and the artwork,” according to Petrino. The committee sent the application over to Bishop Burbidge for review before it was sent to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and then to Rome.
Less than a year later, Pope Francis approved St. Mary Church as a minor basilica Dec. 6, 2017, the feast of St. Nicholas. “It was really a Christmas present,” Father Hathaway said. Bishop Burbidge informed the parish community of the joyful news at a Jan. 14, 2018, Sunday Mass. The Basilica of St. Mary is the 84th minor basilica in the U.S.
Today, the basilica is well-known for its historical roots, including an initial donation from George Washington. But even more so, the legacy of St. Mary lives in many of the diocesan parishes that started as missions of St. Mary, according to Father Hathaway: “It is the ‘eldest daughter’ of the church … that gave life to many other parishes.”
Find out more
To purchase “Basilica-opoly,” go to stmaryoldtown.org/basilicaopoly.
To schedule a tour, go to stmaryoldtown.org/basilica/plan-your-visit.
