By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LITTLE ITALY — Pope Benedict XVI designated St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on Mulberry Street a basilica Sunday in recognition of the church's significance to immigrants over its 200-year history.
The cathedral, which was also New York's first Roman Catholic church, will now serve as the Pope's home parish when he visits Manhattan, the Times reported.
“The title basilica is awarded to a church because of its historical, spiritual, cultural and artistic value,” said Archbishop Timothy Dolan to the New York Times at a ceremony Sunday.
“This is still a living, breathing, loving, embracing, serving parish," Dolan said.
Since its construction in 1809, the cathedral served as a shelter for first Irish, then Hispanic and Asian immigrants, the Daily News reported.
A Catholic school that educated neighborhood children for 188 years was closed last year, the paper reported.
