​Major changes set to take place at the Basilica of St. Mary in downtown Minneapolis

Easter mass is expected to be filled with joy and song inside the Basilica of St. Mary. But this coming Sunday will mark the end of service upstairs as the church undergoes a $45 million renovation from top to bottom.

Father Daniel Griffith talked about what this project will include.

"The cleaning of the stone, new plaster and paint, a new audio system, acoustic and AV, some new liturgical furnishings, including a new altar, new doors," he explains.

Other planned work includes:

• Dome Balustrade
• Upgrade Exterior Lighting
• Rebuild Monumental Stairs
• Rebuild Brass Doors
• Repair and Restore Stained Glass Windows
• Organ Upgrade

Father Griffith says parishioners donated almost all of the money, an indication that the church is strong and growing.

"We have a number of people coming into the Catholic Church this Easter, which is a trend happening all over the country and and also in Europe," Father Griffith adds.

He says some 7,000 families call the Basilica their home church.

The church says after Holy Week, their regular Mass schedule will continue, adding worship in the lower level will still be a "sacred and meaningful experience." During the restoration, The Basilica’s primary worship space will be Teresa of Calcutta Hall on the lower level.

The Basilica of Saint Mary was the first Basilica in the United States. A basilica is a distinguished Roman Catholic church granted special ceremonial and canonical privileges by the Pope due to its historical, artistic, or religious significance.

It was constructed between 1907 and 1915. It was raised to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1926 and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.