The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is the most distinctive building in the city of Lewiston, the largest church building in Maine, and among the largest in New England. Its twin Gothic spires—lit at night and visible for miles, including from the Maine Turnpike—have anchored the Lewiston skyline, reaching heavenward since the church’s completion in 1936. Its foundation, the lower church, was completed in 1907 after a previous red-brick church built in 1873 had proved too small for the burgeoning Catholic community arriving daily from Québec and elsewhere.

The Basilica is a living, breathing house of worship—the spiritual home of thousands of Catholics and an ever-present reminder of the eternal for all who look upon it. This remarkable edifice has played host to countless meetings of God with His holy people: thousands of baptisms, First Holy Communions, Confirmations, weddings, and funerals, as well as innumerable moments of prayer at every possible occasion of joy and sorrow—like the “OneLewiston” Vigil, when more than 4,000 people came together to mourn those lost in the tragedy of October 25, 2023.

Clearly, the history of the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul isn’t just the chronicle of an old church, but of the amazing faith of the French-Canadian immigrants whose struggles, patience, and great generosity built it. It reflects an aspect of the immigrant experience that has played out over and over across the United States.