Early 1700: The first known Catholic, Timothy De Monbreun, came to the Cumberland shores of Nashville.

1824: The need to build a bridge across the Cumberland River brought workers from Pittsburg, mostly Irish, to Nashville. There was no priest nor church. Through contributions from members of all faiths of the area, a church was built on what is now Capitol Hill.

1837: Richard Pius Miles from Maryland was elected the first Bishop of Nashville, and was consecrated in 1838 at the Cathedral in Bardstown, KY. His family was closely related to that of Daniel Boone. He came to Nashville during Christmas in 1838.

1844: The cornerstone of the present St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows was laid. Delays and lack of funds postponed the dedication and completion of this first Cathedral of the Diocese of Nashville. Being so close to the old Church on Capitol Hill, this latter structure was soon abandoned and was turned into a hospital run by the Sisters of Charity. Fire destroyed a great part of the structure, and it was abandoned in 1856. Salvaged materials from this structure were used in the building of the Church of the Assumption in North Nashville.

Oct. 31, 1847: St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Church is dedicated Designed by renowned architect William Strickland, it was a marvel of the day with no interior support columns. Strickland also designed the State Capitol Bldg. in Nashville.

1894: Bishop Thomas Sebastian Byrne, 5th Bishop of Nashville, renovated the interior of the church with new stained glass windows and electric lights were installed.

1924: The "new" Cathedral of the Incarnation was built on West End Ave. During this period, the Rev. Samuel A Stritch, who later became the Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, attended St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows. Paintings donated to the church by cardinal Stritch through Mr. and Mrs. Eugene L. Stritch are a copy of Botticelli's "Madonna of The Fruit" and a rare copy of the fresco of "Mater Admirablilis" or Our Lady of the Lilies, known as "the pink Madonna", from Monti, Rome, given by the DeMoville family in 1942.

1925: The north and south sides of the church were veneered with brick, and the whole front finished with stone. A new high altar of Botticino marble from Italy was installed; a gift from Mrs. Alice M. Smith.

1937: The centennial of the Diocese of Nashville, Bishop William L. Adrian presided over the celebration. For this occasion, the present Baptismal Font was given in memory of John Cain. Americo Carrieri donated a carved wood statue of the "Sorrowful Mother" imported from Lucca, Italy. Mr. Carrieri was the caretaker of the church for 60 years.

1947: The statues of St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary were installed on side marble altars.

1972: Bishop Joseph A. Durick, eighth Bishop of Nashville, on the 125th anniversary of St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows, and Monsignor Charles M. Williams, V.G. and pastor of the church for 28 years, moved the perfectly preserved body of Bishop Miles from beneath the main altar in solemn procession to a side chapel in the rear of the church where it remains today.

July 24, 1970: St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Church is placed on the National Register of Historic Places.