Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Rochester, Minnesota) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
Location in Minnesota Show map of Minnesota Location in the United States Show map of the United States
44°01′23″N 92°28′07″W / 44.0230°N 92.4685°W / 44.0230; -92.4685
Location	11 4th Ave. SW Rochester, Minnesota
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Status	Co-cathedral/Parish
Dedicated	1987
Architecture
Architect(s)	Edward F. Wirtz
Style	Modern
Groundbreaking	1955
Completed	1957
Specifications
Capacity	1,200
Administration
Diocese	Winona-Rochester

The Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is a special Catholic Church building in Rochester, Minnesota, United States. It serves as a co-cathedral and a parish church for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. A co-cathedral is like a second main church for a diocese, sharing duties with the main cathedral.

History
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History

How it Started

The St. John the Evangelist Parish began in 1863. A parish is a local church community. Father James Morris started it. This makes it the oldest Catholic parish in Rochester. When it was founded, the land for the church was bought.

Early Buildings

The first church building was finished in 1872. Bishop Thomas Grace officially opened it. As more people joined the parish, a bigger church was built. This second church was completed in 1905.

The parish also focused on education. Three schools opened in 1913. These included a grade school, a high school for girls, and a high school for boys.

The Current Church Building

Plans for the church you see today were drawn up. Edward F. Wirtz, an architect from New Ulm, designed it. Construction started in 1955. Local builders finished the church two years later, in 1957.

The building has a Modern style. Its outside walls are made of Mankato stone. The church can seat up to 1,200 people. It was updated and improved between 2001 and 2002.

Becoming a Co-Cathedral

On March 27, 2018, Pope Francis gave the church a new, important title. He made it a co-cathedral for the Diocese of Winona–Rochester. This change happened because Rochester has grown a lot. More people now live in the area between Rochester and Mankato.

The church officially became a co-cathedral on June 24, 2018. This date is special because it's the day Christians celebrate the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist.