Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph (San Jose)
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph | |
---|---|
Spanish: Catedral Basílica de San José | |
Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph | |
37°20′03″N 121°53′27″W / 37.334036°N 121.890816°W | |
Location | 80 South Market Street San Jose, California |
Country | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Website | www.stjosephcathedral.org |
History | |
Status | Minor Basilica, Cathedral |
Founded | April 22, 1877 |
Dedication | Saint Joseph |
Dedicated | 1990 |
Consecrated | 1803, 1877 |
Past bishop(s) | The Most Rev. R. Pierre DuMaine The Most Rev. Patrick Joseph McGrath |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Heritage designation | California Historical Landmark #910 National Register of Historic Places #77000345 |
Groundbreaking | 1876 |
Completed | 1885 |
Specifications | |
Capacity | 950 |
Administration | |
Province | Ecclesiastical province of San Francisco |
Archdiocese | Archidioecesis Sancti Francisci |
Diocese | Dioecesis Sancti Josephi in California |
Episcopal area | San José in California |
Deanery | Deanery 3 |
Clergy | |
Bishop(s) | Oscar Cantú |
Vicar(s) |
|
Dean | Rev. Fr. Ritche Bueza (St. John the Baptist Parish) |
Pastor(s) | Rev. Fr. Joseph M. Benedict |
Laity | |
Director of music | Julie Wind |
Organist(s) | Aileen Chanco |
Business manager | Susan Olsen |
Liturgy coordinator | Melissa Broome Ursin |
Religious education coordinator | Susan Olsen |
Parish administrator | Tanis Zuccaro |
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph (Spanish: Catedral Basílica de San José)[1] is a historic Catholic church in Downtown San Jose that serves as the cathedral for the Diocese of San José in California, with the distinction of minor basilica.
The basilica is named for Saint Joseph, patron saint of the Catholic Church and the namesake of San Jose, California.
History
[edit]The original St. Joseph's Church was called San Jose de Guadalupe[2] built on the site of the current basilica in 1803, and was the first non-mission parish built in California for the benefit of Spanish settlers instead of the Mission Indians (Ohlone). The Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe was connected with Mission Santa Clara by The Alameda which was part of the historic El Camino Real. The original adobe structure was damaged by earthquakes in 1818 and 1822.
In 1835, prominent Californio businessman Antonio Suñol donated the land at the northeast corner of the Plaza del Pueblo (modern Plaza de César Chávez) for the construction of a new, larger adobe church.[3] Suñol, alongside his brother-in-law Antonio María Pico (who served as Alcalde of San José at the time), oversaw the construction of the church for the next eight years until its completion and consecration in 1846.[4] In 1842, Suñol petitioned Francisco García Diego y Moreno, the Bishop of the Californias, for proper religious vestments and relics for the church. The second church was severely damaged by the 1868 Hayward earthquake.
Work on the third church began in 1869. The third church was destroyed by fire in 1875, and a temporary fourth church was built a few blocks away while the fifth and current church was being constructed. The fifth church was dedicated by Joseph Alemany, Archbishop of San Francisco, in 1877 while construction continued. The current portico was completed in 1884, and the large dome was finished in 1885.
In 1981, a major renovation project was begun at the church, which was to become the cathedral for the new Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose. In 1985, the church was elevated to a cathedral, pending completion of the restoration in 1990. It replaced Saint Patrick Proto-Cathedral Parish, located a few blocks away, as the cathedral of the diocese. The cathedral was made a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph is listed as a California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]
Architecture
[edit]Plaques at entrance
[edit]Just inside the entrance to the cathedral are two plaques that read:
The Most Rev. Joseph S. Alemany, O.P.
First Archbishop of San Francisco
dedicated Saint Joseph Church,
fourth on this site, on land
donated by Antonio Sunol for the
first permanent Catholic Parish
in California, founded in 1803.
Rev. Nicholas Congiato, S.J., Pastor, 22 April 1877
The Most Rev. R. Pierre DuMaine
First Bishop of San Jose
dedicated this Church
restored and renovated
as the new Cathedral
of the Diocese of San Jose.
Rev. P. Jeremiah Helfrich, S.J. Rector, 4 November 1990
Joseph bible quotes
[edit]The top of the walls of the inside of the cathedral include quotes from the Vulgate about Joseph:
- Matthew 1:20 - ANGELVS DOMINI APPARVIT IN SOMNIS JOSEPH NOLI TIMERE ACCIPERE MARIAM CONIVGEM TVAM
- Matthew 1:24 - EXSVRGENS JOSEPH A SOMNO FECIT SICVT PRÆCEPIT ET ANGELVS DOMINI ET ACCEPIT CONIVGEN SVAM
- Matthew 2:13–2:14 - FVTVRVM EST VT HERODES QVÆRAT PVERVM AD PEDENDVM ET MATREM EIVS NOCTE ET SECESSIT IN ÆGYPTVM
- Luke 2:48 - DIXIT MATER EIVS ECCE PATER TVVS ET EGO DOLENTES QVÆREBVS TE
- Luke 2:51 - DESCENDIT CVM EIS ET VENIT NAZARET ET ERAT SVBDITVS ILLIS
- Luke 3:23 - ET JESVS PVTABATVR FILIVS JOSEPH
Stained glass windows
[edit]The stained glass windows going counter clockwise from the east transept depict:
- Agony in the Garden
- Crucifixion
- Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
- Saint Catherine of Alexandria
- Saint Patrick
- Saint John
- Saint Luke
- The Holy Family
- Saint Casimir
- Saint Edward the Confessor
- Saint John the Baptist
- Saint Mark
- Saint Matthew
- Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque & The Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Saint Francis Xavier
- Saint Claude de la Colombière
- Resurrection
- Ascension
Odell pipe organ
[edit]The Odell pipe organ was built in 1886 by the J. H. and C. S. Odell Company in Yonkers, New York. It is the only such Odell instrument surviving in its original condition in the United States. It has 40,000 parts. It has 27 ranks of 60 pipes each. It was restored in 1987–90.
Gallery
[edit]-
From the baptismal font, looking up the nave to the altar.
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The south semitransept, from the altar
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The nave from the altar, showing the baptismal font, with organ loft above
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The altar from the top of the nave with the ambo and cathedra behind it
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The altar, from the north semitransept
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Interior of the large dome over the crossing
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ St. Joseph's Cathedral - El Ministerio en Español
- ^ "History of the Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph". Archived from the original on 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
- ^ Sourisseau Academy for Californian History at SJSU - Life of Antonio Suñol
- ^ St. Joseph's Cathedral - History Timeline
- ^ "Cathedral - About". Retrieved May 8, 2016.
External links
[edit]
- Tourist attractions in Silicon Valley
- Basilica churches in California
- Roman Catholic cathedrals in California
- Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California
- Roman Catholic churches in San Jose, California
- National Register of Historic Places in Santa Clara County, California
- Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in California
- 1803 establishments in New Spain
- Roman Catholic churches completed in 1885
- 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States
- Tourist attractions in San Jose, California
- Churches in Santa Clara County, California
- Church buildings with domes
- California Historical Landmarks
- Cathedrals in San Jose, California