ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — On April 12, 2025, Historic St. Mary’s City will fling open the doors of its reconstructed Brick Chapel, a 1667 landmark dormant for over three centuries, inviting the public to step into Maryland’s cradle of religious freedom. From 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., visitors can explore the completed interior—altar, rail, tabernacle and all—marking the end of decades of digs and dreams. It’s a homecoming for a site that shaped America’s early tolerance, locked shut in 1704, now reborn through grit and archaeology.
Built under the Lords Baltimore’s vision, the chapel was a sanctuary for Catholics fleeing England’s persecution, embodying Maryland’s pioneering “liberty of conscience”—a seed for the First Amendment. Shuttered by royal decree, its bricks scattered, the site faded until 20th-century shovels unearthed its story.
“The Chapel Exhibit is a major step in telling the public about two of Maryland’s most significant legacies, Liberty of Conscience and the Free Exercise of Religion as official policies of a government,” said Henry Miller, PhD, Senior Research Fellow at Historic St. Mary’s City. “At the same time, it also represents the beginning place of the Catholic Faith in the English colonies that became the United States.”
The day kicks off with Sheriff Steve Hall unlocking the doors—a symbolic reversal of 1704’s closure by Sheriff John Coode—joined by Maryland dignitaries tracing the chapel’s outsized role. From 1:30 p.m., an afternoon lecture series in the Visitor Center Auditorium (18751 Hogaboom Lane) unpacks it all: Miller on history and goals, Dr. Thomas Lucas, SJ, on Jesuit roots, and Douglas Owsley, PhD, on bones from the chapel’s cemetery, among others. Travis Parno, PhD, emcees and caps it with future plans. Seating’s first-come, first-served—doors open at 1 p.m.
This isn’t just a building—it’s a time capsule. Artifacts like lead cames and Jesuit rings, per HSMC archives, guided the rebuild, revealing 17th-century faith practices. The free event, open to all, blends ceremony with scholarship—John Seidel, PhD, welcomes, Silas Hurry dissects key finds, and Jimmy Price shares the mason’s craft. Since excavations began in the 1930s, over 200 burials have surfaced nearby, per site records, whispering tales of early settlers. It’s Maryland’s origin story, brick by brick.
Historic St. Mary’s City, a 800-acre living museum, per its site, has chased this moment for generations. April 12 offers a rare peek at a national treasure—visit www.HSMCdigsHistory.org or email hsmcc.info@maryland.gov for details. From faith to freedom, the chapel’s back, and it’s calling.
