Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
The Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is the Roman Catholic Cathedral
of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
. It is the seat of the Diocesan bishop
, currently John Tong
. The Cathedral is one of the two cathedrals in the territory of Hong Kong
, the other being the Anglican St. John's Cathedral
.
It is located at 16 Caine Road
, Central
. It is open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm daily. It is a Grade I Historic Building.
and Wellington Street
and was destroyed in a fire in 1859. The cathedral was rebuilt, but subsequently a different site was selected just above Caine Road by the Glenealy Ravine, where it is still located today. The Cathedral was designed by Crawley and Company of London. Construction of the new building started in 1883. Services first began in July 1886 under the auspices of the Apostolic Vicar Dominic Pozzoni
and the first Mass
was celebrated on 7 December 1888. Many of the early parishioners were Portuguese people who lived in the area around Shelley Street
.
It was a Cathedral from the time it was built, as the seat of the apostolic vicariate
that preceded the establishment of the diocese
in 1946; however, it was not consecrated as a cathedral until 1938.
The Cathedral underwent renovation in 2002, and the renovation project was recognized by an Honorable Mention in the 2003 UNESCO
Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
The Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
. It is the seat of the Diocesan bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, currently John Tong
John Tong Hon
John Tong Hon is a bishop of the Catholic Church. In his youth, he spent ten years living in Huadu, Guangzhou before returning to Hong Kong. He earned a master's degree in philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong before going on to doctoral studies at the Pontifical Urbaniana...
. The Cathedral is one of the two cathedrals in the territory of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the other being the Anglican St. John's Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral, Hong Kong
St. John's Cathedral , officially The Cathedral Church of St. John the Evangelist and located at 4 Garden Road, Central, is an Anglican cathedral in Hong Kong. It is the Diocesan cathedral of the...
.
It is located at 16 Caine Road
Caine Road
Caine Road is a main road in Hong Kong connecting Bonham Road in the west and Arbuthnot Road and Upper Albert Road in the east ....
, Central
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
. It is open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm daily. It is a Grade I Historic Building.
History
The first Roman Catholic cathedral of Hong Kong was built in 1843 at the junction of Pottinger StreetPottinger Street
Pottinger Street is a street in Central, Hong Kong. It is also better known as the Stone Slabs Street by the locals, after the granite stone steps which are a rarity nowadays in Hong Kong. The street was named after Henry Pottinger, the first Governor of Hong Kong.-Location:The street was...
and Wellington Street
Wellington Street, Hong Kong
Wellington Street is a street in Central and Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is a straight road running downward and westward from Wyndham Street to Queen's Road Central. The two sides of street is a mosaic of old and new buildings. Varieties of trades can be found on the street level...
and was destroyed in a fire in 1859. The cathedral was rebuilt, but subsequently a different site was selected just above Caine Road by the Glenealy Ravine, where it is still located today. The Cathedral was designed by Crawley and Company of London. Construction of the new building started in 1883. Services first began in July 1886 under the auspices of the Apostolic Vicar Dominic Pozzoni
Dominic Pozzoni
Dominic Pozzoni, , was born in Italy. He was ordained a priest on 1 March 1885 and arrived in Hong Kong on 19 December 1885. Pozzoni was appointed Bishop of Tavia and third Apostolic Vicar of Hong Kong on 12 July 1905. He died in Hong Kong.-References:*...
and the first Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
was celebrated on 7 December 1888. Many of the early parishioners were Portuguese people who lived in the area around Shelley Street
Shelley Street
Shelley Street is a street in Central, Hong Kong. It is a ladder street and the Central–Mid-levels escalators run along the entire length of the street.-Name:...
.
It was a Cathedral from the time it was built, as the seat of the apostolic vicariate
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
that preceded the establishment of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
in 1946; however, it was not consecrated as a cathedral until 1938.
Renovation
The Cathedral's original timber roof was replaced with a concrete roof in 1952; the main altar was also reconstructed in the early 1980s.The Cathedral underwent renovation in 2002, and the renovation project was recognized by an Honorable Mention in the 2003 UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
Features
The Cathedral measures 272 feet (83 m) long and 132 ft (40 m) wide, with 38 columns. It is an imposing Gothic Revival style built in a Greek cruciform shape with a tower at the intersection of the nave and transepts. It is constructed predominantly of bricks and stone over a granite platform and is supported by external buttresses.See also
- Roman Catholic Marian churchesRoman Catholic Marian churchesThroughout history, Roman Catholics have built churches to venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, a large number of Roman Catholic churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin exist on all continents...
- Places of worship in Hong KongPlaces of worship in Hong KongHong Kong counts approximately 600 temples, shrines and monasteries. While Buddhism and Taoism are the most widely practiced religions, most religions are represented in the Special Administrative Region.-Buddhist temples and monasteries:...
- List of Catholic Churches in Hong Kong
- List of Catholic cathedrals in China
External links
- Hong Kong Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
- Map of the Cathedral, with panoramic images
- Diocesan timeline, including relevant dates for the Cathedral
- Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
- UNESCO Bangkok- Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Hong Kong SAR