St Joseph’s Cathedral Marks 200 Years with Grand Finale on January 18
Historic church to unveil renovations, celebrate bicentennial with special blessings
A historic moment awaits the St Joseph’s Cathedral, at Gunfoundry here on Tuesday. The day will mark the resumption of the grand celebrations that began in 2020 to commemorate the completion of two centuries of the parish with a Christmas mass. The fete’s culmination was put on hold due to the subsequent Covid lockdown restrictions.
It will be a momentous occasion for a parish that had a modest start in a small hut like structure at the very place. Later, in 1875, the existing edifice was constructed in a roman style gothic architecture and was inaugurated on the eve of Christmas.
The lockdown restrictions also delayed restoration works of the cathedral.
Tuesday’s event will have devotees coming from all over the Hyderabad Archdiocese. Cardinal Poola Anthony will inaugurate the renovated cathedral, the new presbytery, parish pastoral center, adoration chapel and shrines.
Vicar-general Rev Fr Bala Showry Reddy mentioned, “As Pope Francis declared this year as the jubilee year of Christ’s birth, we wanted to call for the closing ceremony of the 200 years of our parish establishment. This cathedral has a membership of thousands of families. Visitors of different faiths will be visiting the church to offer prayers before the altar.”
The church is considered as an architectural masterpiece. The brass bells have been duly done up for the big day. The two towers of the church have five huge bells engraved with Bible stories. Each bell is for a separate occasion and produces a different sound.
M.S. Angelina, a senior citizen, recalled “My baptism was in this church as was that of my grandchildren. Witnessing such an event is a lifetime opportunity. Members of three generations of the family will add to our festivities.”
Fr Christopher explained “the grand closing ceremony will see the inauguration and blessing of the renovated cathedral, new presbytery, new adoration chapel, shrines of St. Joseph, Velankanni matha and infant Jesus.”
Parish timeline
It's a proud moment for the cathedral as it celebrates 205 years of history, which includes the bicentennial celebration of the establishment of St. Joseph’s community; 155 years of the present church building, and the jubilee year 2025 called by Pope Francis at the Archdiocese of the Hyderabad level.
1820 - St Joseph Church (Community).
1869 - After getting permission on December 16, Father A Tagliabue bought an extensive plot near Kotha basthi (the present day Gunfoundry to build a church, school and a convent.
1870- Msgr Peter Caprotti Vicar-general laid the foundation of the present cathedral on March 19.
1875- Church building was opened for worship on Christmas eve,
1886-Hyderabad made a separate diocese.
1887-In the consistory held on March 17, Pope Leo XIII notified St. Joseph’s church to be the cathedral of the diocese.
1891- Towers and the facade of the cathedral were completed.
1892- Five bells from Milan were installed.
1907- Statues from Italy were installed in the Cathedral.
1953- On February 17, the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan presented the famed clock, chandeliers and an oil painting of Madonna and child by Spanish Baroque painter Esteban Murillo.
