(RNS) — On Thursday (July 25), hundreds of French Catholics gathered in the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis, the northern Paris suburb hosting the Olympic Village, to pray and bless athletes ...

Note: The attached video provided by Irish Connection shows a Cathedral High School watch party and celebration of Cole Hocker’s win. SAINT-DENIS, France — Hocker has pulled a shocker!

The cornerstone of the Cathedral was laid in 1858. The Cathedral was named after St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, in response to the increasing numbers of Irish immigrants in the city.

With nearly 42 million glass tesserae pieces covering the interior walls in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, it enjoys worldwide recognition for its mosaics collection. The collection ...