Louisiana is home to two distinctly beautiful and distinct Roman Catholic Cathedrals. No where else in the United States has more Catholics in one place. The divisions between areas within the state are called parishes instead of counties—drawing from the catholic influence.

In 1821, Jean Mouton, an Acadian immigrant donated land specifically for the construction of a Catholic church. On May 15, 1822 Bishop Duborg created the church parish of St. John the Evangelist of Vermilion which originally encompassed the area from Mouton's plantation south to the Gulf of Mexico and west to the Sabine River.

New Orleans is one of those very few cities in the world that is easily recognizable by its unique architecture. The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is a prime example of this affirmation. St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest Catholic cathedral still in continual use the United States.

There were two Roman Catholic churches on the same plot before construction began in 1789 for the cathedral that stands there today. The bells that ring every quarter hour were added in 1819, along with the central tower.