The first church here, built in 1803, was the first parish in California built for settlers rather than mission converts. The present church was dedicated in 1877, with its portico finished in 1884 and dome in 1885. It became the cathedral of the new Diocese of San José in 1985 and a minor basilica in 1997.
Its 1886 Odell pipe organ, with about 40,000 parts, is described as the only one of its kind still in original condition in the United States.