Holy Cross Cathedral
6°27′00″N 3°23′48″E / 6.4499°N 3.3966°E / 6.4499; 3.3966
LocationLagos
CountryNigeria
DenominationCatholic
Websitewww.hcclng.org
Architecture
Heritage designationLagos State Grade 3 listed building
DesignatedListed Sites Preservation Law 2011 Properties Law
Architect(s)Lazarus Borges da Silva and Francisco Nobre
StyleFrench Gothic
Years built1934–1939
Completed1939
Administration
ArchdioceseLagos
Clergy
ArchbishopAlfred Adewale Martins

Holy Cross Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Lagos, Nigeria, and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Lagos. The Gothic style building was constructed in 1939, when the region was still administered as an apostolic vicariate, and thus was only elevated to the status of cathedral in 1950.

History

The first cathedral (considered a pro-cathedral) building was inaugurated in 1881 and built by stonemasons and architects Lazarus Borges da Silva and Francisco Nobre. After the death of Bishop Ferdinand Terrien in 1929, this original cathedral saw the ordination of the first three Yoruba priests, the late monsignors Lawrence Layode, Julius Onih, and Stephen Adewuyi, by Bishop Thomas Brodericks, the apostolic vicar of Western Nigeria.[1] By the 1930s, a larger cathedral was needed, and the older one was demolished. The current church building, of French Gothic style architecture, had its foundation stone laid on 6 August 1934 by Bishop Francis O'Rourke and was completed in 1939.[2][3][4]

Notable Members in the church's history include: 1. S. J. Sawyerr 2. Lourenzo Antonio Cardoso 3. Lazaro Borges da Silva 4. Francisco Nobre 5. J. F. D. Branco 6. Walter P. Siffre 7. Albert Carrena 8. David Evaristo Akerele 9. J. T. Munis 10. P. F. Gomes

On 18 April 1950, the apostolic vicariate of Lagos was elevated to metropolitan archdiocese in accordance with the papal bull entitled Laeto accepimus, issued by Pope Pius XII.

The latest Archbishop to be installed at the cathedral is Alfred Adewale Martins, who is incumbent since 2012.[5]

By year-end 2016, the archdiocese counted 3,274,000 baptized out of a total population of 12,276,000 which corresponds to 26.7% of the total.

Succession of pastors

  • Francesco Borghero (1861 – 1865)
  • Pierre Bouche (1867 – 1871)
  • Jean-Baptiste Chausse, SMA (12 May 1891 – 30 January 1894, deceased)
  • Paul Pellet, SMA (15 January 1895 – 1902, resigned)
  • Joseph-Antoine Lang, SMA (19 July 1902 – 2 January 1912, deceased)
  • Ferdinand Terrien, SMA (1 March 1912 – 3 August 1929, deceased)
  • Francis O'Rourke, SMA (31 March 1930 – 28 October 1938, deceased)
  • Leo Hale Taylor, SMA (13 June 1939 – 27 October 1965, deceased)
  • John Kwao Amuzu Aggey (6 July 1965 – 13 March 1972, deceased)
  • Anthony Olubunmi Okogie (13 April 1973 – 25 May 2012, retired)
  • Alfred Adewale Martins, (25 May 2012 – present)


References

  1. ↑ Akinjide Osuntokun; Ade Adefuye, Babatunde Agiri (University of Lagos. Dept. of History) (1987). History of the Peoples of Lagos State. Lantern Books, (the University of Virginia). ISBN 9789782281487.
  2. ↑ Lizzie Williams; Mark Shenley (2012). Bradt Travel Guide Nigeria. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 9781841623979.
  3. ↑ Phaf, Ineke; Pinto, Tiago de Oliveira (2008). Hoy Cross Roman Catholic Cathedral. ISBN 9788484893806.
  4. ↑ Ineke Phaf; Tiago de Oliveira Pinto (2008). AfricAmericas, Itineraries, Dialogues and Sounds of Bibliotheca Ibero-Americana, Berlin. Vol. 119. Iberoamericana Editorial. ISBN 978-8-484-8-93806.
  5. ↑ "Most Rev. Martins installed as Archbishop of Lagos". Channels Television. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2015.

Official website

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