News Release

Mammoth Cave National Park Hosts Naturalization Ceremony Inside the Cave

Mammoth Cave National Park hosts a naturalization ceremony inside the cave at an area called the Methodist Church.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: May 25, 2023

Contact: Molly Schroer, 270-758-2192

Mammoth Cave National Park and U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services welcomed twenty-seven new citizens of the United States during a naturalization ceremony held within Mammoth Cave on Thursday, May 25.  The ceremony took place at an area known as “The Methodist Church,” and was overseen by United States District Court Judge Greg N. Stivers.

“It is an honor to welcome and congratulate these brand new citizens of the United States to Mammoth Cave,” said Park Deputy Superintendent Jay Grass. “We are proud that our park, with its deep connections with history and culture, can serve as the location for this very special moment in their lives. Mammoth Cave is now a part of their story, and they are a part of ours.”

The new citizens hail from 20 different countries around the world, but now reside in throughout Western Kentucky. Becoming a new citizen is a voluntary process which requires each individual to meet eligibility requirements and go through a ten-step naturalization process that includes written applications, tests, and personal interviews. The new citizens were accompanied to the ceremony by members of their families who supported them through their citizenship journey.

The naturalization ceremony is an annual event held within the cave each spring, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ceremony has not taken place since 2019.  

Visit the National Park Service’s Citizenship Ceremonies website for more information about naturalization ceremonies held at other national parks.