In 1856, Our Lady of Guadalupe was founded in Conejos, CO, the oldest Catholic church in the state. In 1860, Bishop John Baptist Miege of Leavenworth, KS, visited Denver and celebrated the first Mass in the town before authorizing the construction of the first church in Denver. At the time, Denver was considered part of his territory before he petitioned Rome for the territory to have it transferred to the care of the Diocese of Santa Fe, NM. Then-Father Machebeuf arrived from Santa Fe on October 29, 1860, and on Christmas that same year, the first Mass was celebrated in St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral.  

In March 1868, the Vicariate Apostolic of Colorado was established by Pope Pius IX, with Machebeuf travelling to Cincinnati, OH, to receive his consecration as a bishop on August 16, 1868.   

The Vicariate Apostolic of Colorado was officially elevated to the Diocese of Denver on August 16, 1887, by Pope Leo XIII.  

That same year, Bishop Nicholas Matz was appointed Coadjutor Bishop, automatically succeeding Machebeuf upon his death in 1889. Under Bishop Matz, the diocese saw significant growth with the establishment of St. Thomas Seminary, the founding of the diocesan newspaper and in 1912, the dedication of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  

Bishop Vehr arrived in Denver on July 16, 1931, to succeed Bishop J. Henry Tihen, who had recently resigned due to poor health. He was consecrated a bishop in Cincinnati just a month earlier and was installed as Bishop of Denver three hours after he arrived by Archbishop Daeger of Santa Fe.  

On November 15, 1941, Pope Pius XII elevated the Diocese of Denver to the Archdiocese of Denver and, at the same time, created the Diocese of Pueblo. Newly elevated Archbishop Vehr would oversee a second period of growth during the post-war years, with over 40 parishes established before his retirement in 1967. Archbishop Vehr, like Bishop Matz before him, was a proponent of Catholic education and pushed for schools to be established before parishes, overseeing 30 new schools during his tenure.   

When the Diocese of Denver was elevated to an Archdiocese in 1941, this led to the creation of the Diocese of Pueblo with Bishop Joseph Willging installed as the first bishop on March 12, 1942.  

In 1975, with the rapid growth occurring in Colorado Springs, Denver Archbishop James Casey created the Vicariate of Colorado Springs, naming Auxiliary Bishop Richard Hanifen as vicar. Pope John Paul II would formally elevate it to a diocese on January 30, 1984, with Hanifen becoming its first bishop.  

Beyond its founding bishop, Joseph Projectus Machebeuf, the Archdiocese of Denver has been shaped by a number of influential leaders and historic moments. Archbishop Urban J. Vehr guided the diocese through its elevation to an archdiocese in 1941, marking a significant milestone in its growth and prominence. J. Francis Cardinal Stafford, who served as archbishop from 1986 to 1996, brought international attention to Denver in 1993 by hosting Pope Saint John Paul II and World Youth Day — an event that left a lasting spiritual and cultural impact on both the local Church and the city.  

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., who led the archdiocese from 1997 to 2011, was widely recognized as a leading voice in Catholic intellectual and public life in the United States. A prolific author and sought-after speaker, Archbishop Chaput has written several influential books on faith, culture and religious freedom, contributing significantly to national conversations about the role of Christianity in public life. His leadership further elevated Denver’s profile as a center for Catholic thought and engagement.  

Today, the archdiocese is led by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, whose tenure has emphasized evangelization, pastoral care and accountability. Under Archbishop Aquila’s leadership, the Archdiocese of Denver participated in a voluntary Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program (IRRP) from 2019 to 2020 to address past clergy sexual abuse. When the COVID pandemic struck in 2020, Archbishop Aquila suddenly found himself with a cleared schedule and an open heart. He spent the time in deep, intentional prayer discerning God’s will for the Archdiocese. From that prayer, Archbishop Aquila was inspired to lead the Archdiocese in a fundamental shift in vision, mission and service to meet a world that no longer shares the Church’s foundational beliefs. In the years since, this has borne much fruit in the way the Archdiocese has responded to the needs of the people of Northern Colorado. 

Religious sisters and clergy have also played pivotal roles in the archdiocese’s history. Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini came to Denver in 1902 to help open the first school at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in North Denver. Her missionary work laid the foundation for lasting charitable efforts, including the establishment of the Queen of Heaven Orphanage by her sisters. Today, the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden — located on land she once owned — stands as a testament to her enduring legacy in Colorado.  

Another significant figure is Monsignor Matthew Smith, who was named editor of the Denver Catholic Register in 1912. During the 1920s, he used the newspaper as a powerful voice against the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Denver. Monsignor Smith also pioneered the “Register System” of diocesan newspapers and later founded what became the National Catholic Register, extending Catholic journalism’s influence nationwide.  

At the heart of the archdiocese stands the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, a central landmark and enduring focal point for Catholic life in Denver. Together, these leaders, saints, and institutions reflect the rich spiritual, cultural, and historical legacy of the Archdiocese of Denver.  

The Archdiocese of Denver serves a large Catholic population across northern Colorado and continues its mission of evangelization, education and service to the community.