Holy Family Cathedral Basilica

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Basilica of the Holy Family

The Cathedral Basilica Holy Family (Engl. Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family ) is a Roman Catholic cathedral and minor basilica in Nairobi , capital of Kenya . The cathedral is dedicated to the Holy Family and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Nairobi .

prehistory

The parish around 1900 consisted of railroad workers who lived in a nearby warehouse that was to become the first Nairobi train station. The Spiritaner Josaphat, CSSP was entrusted with the building of a church in 1904. With a seating capacity of 300 to 400 people, it was the first stone building in Nairobi. The first baptism took place in 1906, the first marriage in 1908 and the first burial in 1923.

cathedral

The interior of the cathedral

The current church with space for 3,000 to 4,000 people was designed in 1960 by the English architect Dorothy Hughes (1911–1987), who grew up in Kenya. The international style cathedral with a height of 30 meters was created with abstract lead glass windows in stainless steel frames and parts of the church furnishings in Carrara marble . In addition to the transept, the design by Hughes includes eight chapels and a large choir with the main altar and a large crucifix, plus two side altars and figures of Mary and Joseph . In front of the building there is a campanile and a large cross.

The church was first visited by Pope John Paul II in 1980 and on February 15, 1982 he was awarded the rank of minor basilica . John Paul II prayed again in the basilica on his pastoral trips in 1985 and 1995.

Web links

Commons : Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family at gcatholic.org
  2. ^ History of the Holy Family Minor Basilica
  3. ↑ a b Kenya: centenary celebrations at Nairobi's Basilica. Independent Catholic News, January 1, 2003, accessed October 7, 2017 .
  4. ^ Sean O'Toole: Design, architecture and optimism in postcolonial Africa. frieze, April 23, 2015, archived from the original on October 20, 2015 ; accessed on October 7, 2017 .

Coordinates: 1 ° 17 ′ 13 ″  S , 36 ° 49 ′ 14 ″  E