Okay, this is a tricky question because "largest" can refer to a few different things: physical size (square footage or seating capacity), prominence/influence, or even historical significance. I'm going to assume you primarily mean
physical size (seating capacity). Even with that, exact numbers can be difficult to find and often vary between sources.
Here are 10 of the largest Catholic Churches in the United States, generally based on seating capacity. Keep in mind, exact rankings and numbers may fluctuate:
1. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Washington, D.C.): This is the largest Catholic church in North America and one of the largest in the world. While seating capacity is around 6,000, it has an incredibly large area.
2. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Los Angeles, California): A modern cathedral, it boasts a seating capacity of approximately 3,000.
3. St. Louis Cathedral (St. Louis, Missouri): A beautiful and historic cathedral, it can accommodate around 3,000 people.
4. Cathedral of Saint Paul (St. Paul, Minnesota): Another grand cathedral, it seats roughly 3,000 people.
5. Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Newark, New Jersey): An impressive Gothic Revival cathedral that can seat around 2,500 people.
6. Cathedral of the Madeleine (Salt Lake City, Utah): Holds approximately 2,000 people.
7. St. Patrick's Cathedral (New York City, New York): A very famous and centrally located cathedral with a seating capacity of around 2,200.
8. Cathedral of Mary Our Queen (Baltimore, Maryland): Can hold about 2,000 people.
9. Cathedral of the Assumption (Louisville, Kentucky): Holds about 2,000 people.
10. Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (Savannah, Georgia): Can hold about 2,000 people.
Important Considerations:
* "Largest" is Subjective: As mentioned, this list is based mainly on *seating capacity*. Square footage could shift the rankings around. Also, a church with a large seating capacity might not always *fill* all those seats regularly.
* Availability of Accurate Data: It's difficult to get precise, verifiable seating capacity numbers for all Catholic churches. Websites may have outdated or conflicting information.
* Changes Over Time: Seating capacities can change due to renovations or modifications to the church structure.
* Local Parish vs. Cathedral: This list tends to skew towards cathedrals (the principal church of a diocese) because they are usually larger and designed to accommodate larger diocesan celebrations.
I've done my best to compile a reasonable list based on available information, but it's always a good idea to double-check specific numbers if you need precise figures.