In our city there was a bishop's church long before the present cathedral. For the first time a bishop is called in Mainz shortly before the middle of the 4th century. The foundation stone of today's cathedral was in 975. The construction extended from the 10th to the 13th century. The holy archbishop Willigis consecrated the cathedral in the year 1009 (two further consecrations followed in 1036 and 1239).
The patron saint of Mainz Cathedral is Saint Martin (Bishop of Tours, November 11), the second patron is the Most Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title of her Assumption to Heaven, August 15), and St. Stephen (Arch-martyr, deacon, 26. December).
Diocesan Administrator is Prelate Dietmar Giebelmann (since May 2016). He leads the diocese until the election of a new bishop.
In the west tower of the cathedral are nine bells: "Martinus" (3,550 kg, cast 1809), "Maria" (2,000 kg, cast 1809), "Albertus" (1,994 kg, cast in 1960), "Willigis" (1,607 kg, cast 1960), "Josef" (1,050 kg, cast 1809), "Boniface" (550 kg, cast 1809), "Bilhildis" (548 kg, cast in 1960), "Holy Spirit" (274 kg, cast in 2002) and "Lioba "(147 kg, cast in 1960). The Sundays and holidays are always ringing at 18.00 o'clock the previous evening with the ringing of the main worship of the following day.
