I visited San Fernando Cathedral during the daytime, so I didn't get to see the evening light show that many people recommend. The cathedral itself is beautiful and historically significant, and I appreciated the chance to see one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States. Without the light show, the experience felt fairly brief. The architecture is impressive, but there wasn't much else to keep me there for very long. I can see why many visitors plan their trip around the nighttime projection show, as it seems to be a major part of the attraction. It's worth stopping by if you're already in the area, but I would recommend visiting in the evening to get the full experience. read more

There is an impressive history light show at night, and definitely a must go in San Antonio. read more

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The history and the mere existence of the San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, TX was quite fascinating to me. It is not the oldest in America, but one of the oldest. During a tour of the city on 5.25.2025, our guide paused our group in front of the cathedral during its light show, "San Antonio | The Saga." The free show lasts approximately 24 minutes Tuesday through Sunday, although, additional showings are sometimes offered. Will the newest Catholic pope, American Pope Leo XIV, visit someday during his pontificate? I sure hope so. Very beautiful and well-maintained. Near River Walk. Highly recommend. read more

San Fernando Cathedral - 5.25.2025 - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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We went to the Saga of San Antonio light show last night and it was amazing. The church, is already stunning but I was so impressed and grateful that the diocese allowed such a wonderful living art piece to be displayed. What a gift to the community. read more

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Too beautiful, this oldest cathedral in America has so much history. Part of the Alamo battles, once a hospital, survived a fire, etc Concerts here when there is no worship and the night light shows are every night for free! Acoustics are amazing, So thankful to witness this magnificent building and enjoy a magical musical night as well Free parking on Sundays sure helps too! In the middle of the city there's plenty of hotels, eateries, the river just steps away. read more

San Fernando Cathedral - Concerts - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Went to their light show tonight. Even with no lights, it is a beautiful building. Lots of tables and chairs out front to watch the show. Great music and crazy wild images on the building. Can't believe I had never seen it. Perfect place to take visitors to town. read more

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It was natural for me as a Catholic and a history buff to visit this centuries old house of worship, and I'm glad that my younger brother wanted to come here. San Fernando Cathedral played a distinct role in Texas's colonial past. The mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio was where Mexican Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana and his soldiers literally raised a red flag to warn the Texian rebels holed up at the Alamo that there would be no quarter, and speaking of the Alamo, the purported final resting place of William B. Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett. Not too long ago, I learned that a friend of a friend descended from laborers who built the cathedral. That was on my mind as I explored the inside. The architecture, the works of art, and the nooks and crannies transported me back to the days before Texas became an independent republic. I did see the alleged tomb of the fallen Alamo commanders, which was near the church's front entrance. I prayed before it and mentally saluted the men for which the sarcophagus was for. Safe to say that I had an item on mental SATX bucket list crossed off. I do want to attend a Mass here in the future. read more

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So pretty and clean. You are able to h wet super close to the altar. They do the saga show but late at night. read more

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Beautiful church . Many statues with relics . I recommend to stop by . Thy do an outdoor light show on the church . We will not be doing that . It's like 25 degrees. read more

Wow, The Catholic Cathedral is stunning and such history!! It's a very active church with several Masses per day and thousands of tourists per year. Pope John Paul visited here in 1987 and had an outdoor Mass. The church was founded by a group of people from The Canary Islands hundreds of years ago. It also houses the remains of Davy Crockett following his demise at The Alamo. The Cathedral puts on a light show every night 9pm I think, except Monday on the face of the Church it's called The Saga and is free. Chairs are located in the Plaza to sit and watch. I think it lasts about an hour. Don't miss this. read more

San Fernando Cathedral - Beautiful - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Beautiful cathedral. At night they do an amazing light & music show projected onto the outside of the building. read more

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Attended a concert and enjoyed the acoustics and intamacy of this cathedral! However, it was fairly hot inside, and attendees were fanning themselves constantly. The bathrooms and water fountains are clean. The inside has lots of seating and is beautiful read more

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Absolutely beautiful cathedral in San Antonio. The architecture is absolutely gorgeous. The inside of the cathedral is equally as beautiful and definitely worth seeing. read more

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Oldest Catholic community in Texas as it's documented that the cathedral was commissioned in 1731 by order of King Philip V of Spain. King Philip directed the colonization of Texas by settlers from the Canary Islands and it was these same immigrants from those islands that were the first Europeans in Texas. Note that it was also the Canary Islanders who in 1731 also brought "chili" to Texas creating a culinary tradition that has lasted in America for almost 300 years! In fact the first chili vendors were located on Market Street less than a quarter of a mile away from the cathedral plaza. The cathedral is situated "ad orientum" so the rising sun in the east shines through the rose window and illumes the altar. The left side of the narthex contains the resting place for the remains of many Alamo heroes killed in the famous 1836 battle, including Davey Crockett, William Travis, and James Bowie. There are over 1000 registered families who attend weekend Masses here and over 100 weddings and 300 baptisms take place annually. Weekday Mass here is at 12:05pm, and weekend Masses vary by language. Best you visit their website first. Sacrament of Reconciliation is daily. Adoration takes place on First Fridays after the 12:05 Mass and also First Saturdays at 6pm. Thank you for reading my review. read more

What a beautiful cathedral inside and out! We went here for a wedding, and it is located in downtown San Antonio right near the Riverwalk. It's one of the oldest Catholic churches in Texas, and very well maintained. If you have an appreciation for history and architecture, it is a must visit! read more

San Fernando Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Beautiful church, although we decided to not go inside since there was an ongoing service and we don't want our kids to make any noise, we just stayed outside. Too bad we missed the gift shop's open hours. The only reason why I gave this place 4 stars is because the maintenance of the restrooms. read more

San Fernando Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Cathedral is just a few minutes walk from The Riverwalk, so in a case you're exploring the area by Riverwalk it's quiet convenient to add the cathedral as one of the quick diversions. Even if you are not religious, but interested in history, it is an interesting historic landmark, since the remains of the Alamo defenders (Crockett and Bowie among others) are placed in a tomb at the entrance to the left and you can access it without entering the main part of the cathedral. Light show at night (only Tue, Fri, Sat and Sun 9,9.30 and 10) brings the building back to life thru very special light show. Highly recommended. read more

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Cathedral looks great from outside and centrally located. Many photoshoot happens outside it seems. Huge from inside too. Nice architecture on sides but ceiling is plain unlike most great cathedrals. However it's nicely managed. From both interior and exterior. read more

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We decided to catch the Saga (which is a free light show projected on the church) and it was so much fun. The show lasts about 25 minutes and tells a cool story about the history of San Antonio. The church itself if beautiful and large, so no matter where you stand you will get a good view. Note: Make sure to wear a jacket or bring a blanket for cooler nights since you will be outside, standing the whole time. read more

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Gorgeous, humble cathedral. Plenty of history as told in the museum half of the gift shop. The catherdal is still functioning to serve mass to local parishoners and visiting pilgrims. read more

San Fernando Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Unique light show, unlike anything we have seen elsewhere. Lasts about 25 minutes and captures and keeps your attention the whole time. Love that it is done onto the face of a cathedral. Large courtyard with seating a plus. read more

San Fernando Cathedral - St Fernando Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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I have visited here while walking in downtown, to see the evening light display, or for Mass. This is a beautiful Cathedral, and a must see place if you are visiting San Antonio! If you have the pleasure of taking in weekend services I would encourage it. Everyone is extremely welcoming, music is lovely, and the backdrop is gorgeous. read more

This is a very pretty and very old Catholic Church that we got to visit on our last trip to San Antonio. The cathedral is very easy to walk to from downtown San Antonio and it's beautiful from a an architectural perspective. The design is fairly simple inside, but it's still beautiful and it was a nice to pray and to spend some time inside this cathedral. It's the oldest cathedral in Texas and one of the oldest in the country and it's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

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This review is for the San Antonio: The Saga light show. The San Fernando light show was amazing! I visited in August and the show was running Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9, 9:30, and 10. We visited on a Friday evening and there were about 100 people watching. The light show projects images onto the cathedral facade along with music. The show lasts approximately 25 minutes and gives a history of the city of San Antonio. If you are not a Texan the history might be a little hard to follow. We sat on the floor right in front of the cathedral, but feel free to bring blankets or chairs if you don't want to sit on the floor. There is no parking in the area by the cathedral. We parked on a nearby street about a 10 minute walk away from the cathedral. Parking is unmetered and free after 6pm if you get lucky and find street parking. read more

It's a video presentation projected on the walls of the cathedral. It depicts Texas history read more

The "Saga" is a light show that is shown on the front of the San Fernando Cathedral. The show tells the history of San Antonio. The show lasts 25 minutes. There is some seating, but we would suggest you bring your own chair or blanket to sit on. There are some vendors in the area so some food and beverages are available for purchase. There are 2 shows nightly. The first at 9:00 and the second at 9:30. On the evenings when it gets dark later, I would suggest attending the later show because it would be easier to see the light show. It is an easy walk from the downtown tourist area. read more

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This beautiful church runs a light show several times a week. For up to date information on this, visit the website: http://www.mainplaza.org/san-antoniothe-saga/ The light show is free. During my visit in January, the show was running Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Show times were 9, 9:30 and 10. This show runs through a history of San Antonio, and lasts almost 25 minutes. The display is truly amazing and is a must-see if you are in town. I'd like to go back during the day to visit the inside of the church. read more

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This is the most beautiful church I've ever been in and close to the Riverwalk. The remains of some of the Alamo Heroes are interred here. If you're a fan of stained glass, this is a must see. read more

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I have been serving 5:00 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass since May 2014 & Priests, Deacons, & Parishioners are great & I always & forever love it all the time. read more

Beautiful church, undergoing some construction out front. The inside of the cathedral was amazing! We were in the day after the service for the fallen Pope. Very somber feeling. Amazing to see the pipe organ! Beautiful cathedral backdrop! Just amazing! Glad we walked to see it. read more

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This is my go-to Church for Spanish Mass every Sunday, and because of that this review will be Spanish ...sorry folks! Español: Voy a la misa de Español en la Catedral de San Fernando casi todos los Domingos. La Catedral es hermosa y es una de las catedrales Catolicas más antiguas (o la mas antigua) de todo el país. El solo estar ahi durante la misa y poder observar la arquitectura del lugar es totalmente increíble. En cuanto a la misa en español; hay un padre nuevo de Polonia que es muy joven y todavía se nota que necesita practicar mas su español y también su sermon. No es exactamente el mas entretenido en cuanto a sus sermones, pero siempre tiene un mensaje muy bonito de amor y paz. Definitivamente NO recomiendo la misa bilingüe porque esta demasiado "pocha" y la verdad siento que pierde todo el sentido. Les recomiendo despúes de misa pasar a visitar la estatua de San Juan Pablo II que se encuentra en la entrada principal de la Catedral. También en la parte posterior de la iglesia encontraran una estatua de la Virgen de Guadalupe con San Juan Diego. read more

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To make our trip to Yelp Spring Break San Antonio complete, we attended "The Saga" at the San Fernando Cathedral. It was the highlight of our trip to YSBSA 2017 and it's 100% worthy of my #400 review spot. The San Fernando Cathedral is one of the oldest Catholic churches in America. The historic cathedral on the main plaza hosts a projected light show on the facade of the building, covering the rich history of San Antonio in the great state of Texas. The light show with music is played approximately three nights per week, it runs for approximately one half hour and the event is free for all. We brought a blanket and picnic basket and grabbed a center space on the plaza. Our dog was welcome. "The Saga" was created by artist Xavier de Richemont. It is a beautiful piece of work that we will never forget. It will also be the San Antonio I remember best! Thank you for this lovely gift! #YSBSA2017 #SanFernandoCathedral #TheSaga #XavierdeRichemont #BestofSanAntonio read more

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You don't have to be devoutly religious to appreciate San Fernando Cathedral- it's beautiful architecture draws you in, and the historic art lends an added layer for those who appreciate history. Services here are available in English, Spanish, and Latin, and are even televised locally. Enter quietly when mass is going on, and see for yourself. SFC also makes a gorgeous wedding venue, and I've attended several here over the years. The photos always turn out amazing, and the staff are wonderful. Book in advance though, they have quite the wait list. If you're into more modern stuff, stop by in the evenings for The Saga- a light show projected onto the facade that tells of the history of Texas, San Antonio, and this cathedral specifically. If you haven't been already, you've got a couple years to catch one of the free showings- check the website for current hours, typically pretty late (9-10PM?). read more

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Beautiful cathedral. The architecture is stunning and when you sit in the church you can picture the history!

We walked here via the River Walk from The Alamo. The cathedral holds the tomb of Davy Crockett, William B. Travis, and Jim Bowie (Battle of the Alamo), but I didn't go inside to look for it. On Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 9:00pm, 9:30pm and 10:00pm there is a video/art projection that tells the story of the city on the facade of the cathedral. I wish I was able to see this, but we were only in San Antonio for the day. U.S. National Register of Historic Places read more

San Fernando Cathedral - Churches Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Beautiful Historic Cathedral , well maintain. You must visit this Cathedral we you visit San Antonio. Love it !! read more

The Free Light Show is awesome! What a very nice way to cap the night off. I think this light show changes depending on the season or maybe depending non what time you see it... not sure. But this is a great sneak-peak on the history of San Antonio, a 24-minute long very entertaining and informative light show projected on the facade of the San Fernando Cathedral. This cathedral is close to my heart, we have the same San Fernando Cathedral back home in Lucena City. How I wish I could organize the same free light show back home...that would be super awesome. Whenever we get the chance, and most of the time a spur of the moment, we go and see this light show. It's a must-see for tourists, local and visitors alike. read more

When I found out about the "Saga", a 24-minute art installation by french artist Xavier de Richemont that is the story of San Antonio in light projected images on the facade of the San Fernando Cathedral, I looked up the schedule and headed down to the Alamo town! Living in Austin, I never gave much credence to SA past the Alamo and Riverwalk, but after exploring the Missions Trail, seeing the Mummys of the World exhibit at the Witte and spending an evening at the Pearl Beer Factory, I have slowly become enamored with my neighbor city to the South. The cathedral itself is something to gawk at both historically and architecturally, but seeing the Saga was just breathtaking! I stayed for both showings and was wow-ed each time! Honestly, it is like nothing I have experienced before and some of the imagery is just breathtaking! It is perfect because it not only covers San Antonio's long and varied history, but delves into the cultures and eras that shaped the city into what it is today. I highly recommended checking the http://www.mainplaza.org/ website for schedules and info. And even if you don't make a viewing of the Saga, the cathedral and surrounding plaza is worth a visit as well! read more

The oldest operating Catholic cathedral in the entire United States! The heroes of the Alamo have their final resting place here in the entryway of the church located right on Main Square. Talk about the holiest of holys for San Antonio! This church is a great example of Gothic Revival architecture, with the front started in 1868. The oldest part of this church was started in 1738 by the first settlers to San Antonio, Spanish Canary Island immigrants. This church's configuration and facade are the same style as the church at Mission San Antonio de Valero. Never hear of that mission? It's the one that collapsed, and was replaced by the Alamo in 1744. You can stop in to this church most days, and say a quick prayer. I came for Christmas mass, which was incredible! read more

Beautiful Catholic cathedral in the heart of San Antonio, built in 1731! Worth a visit! Since June 2014, French artist Xavier de Richemont's video collage has been projected onto the facade of the cathedral (weather permitting) at 9 pm, 9:30 pm, and 10 pm on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays! I've seen so many pictures of it, and I'm dying to see it in person! read more

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