Nouméa Cathedral facts for kids

The Nouméa Cathedral (which in French is Cathédrale Saint-Joseph de Nouméa) is a big Catholic church located in Nouméa, New Caledonia. It is named after Saint Joseph. Since 1966, this cathedral has been the main church for the whole region, like a central office for the church.

History of the Cathedral

This important church, dedicated to Saint Joseph, was built between 1887 and 1897. It was designed to be the main church for the area, which had been set up in 1847. The building work was done by people who were prisoners at the time, following plans made by a former prisoner named Labulle.

The church was first blessed on October 26, 1890. It officially opened on November 1, 1890, which is All Saints Day. The cathedral was fully dedicated in 1893, even before the front part and the bell towers were completely finished.

How the Cathedral is Built

The Nouméa Cathedral is shaped like a Latin cross when you look at it from above. It is about 56 meters (184 feet) long. The main part of the church, called the nave, has five sections with arched ceilings. The part where the altar is, called the choir, has two straight sections and five curved sections.

The church also has a transept, which is the part that crosses the main body, and it is about 36 meters (118 feet) wide. The building stands about 15.5 meters (51 feet) high. On the front, there are two towers, each about 25 meters (82 feet) tall. These towers have stone railings at the top. Originally, there were plans to add tall spires to the towers, but this idea was dropped because of the many cyclones that hit the area.

The two towers, the strong supports called buttresses, and the frames around the doors and windows are made of carefully cut stone. This type of stone work was common in buildings made by prisoners. The other walls are made of smaller stones held together with mortar. The wooden parts inside, including the arched ceilings, are made from red kauri wood. The roof is made of corrugated metal.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

The cathedral has 28 amazing stained glass windows. These windows show different saints and people from the Bible.

• In the Nave (main part of the church):
  • North wall: Saint Cecilia, Saint Maurice, Saint Elizabeth, Saint Augustine, Moses
  • South wall: Saint Stanislaus the Martyr, Saint Helena, Saint Vincent de Paul, Saint Monica, Saint Francis Xavier

• In the Transept (the crossing part):
  • North arm (Chapel of the Sacred Heart):
    • West wall: Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Saint Louis
    • North wall: Sacred Heart
    • East wall: Saint Mary Magdalene, Saint Patrick
  • South arm (Lady Chapel):
    • West wall: Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Anne
    • South wall: Rosary, or the Virgin with Roses
    • East wall: Saint Joachim, Saint Pierre Chanel

• In the Choir (near the altar):
  • North wall: Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Michael
  • South wall: Saint Austremonius, Saint Leo I

• In the Apse (curved end of the church):
  • North wall: Saint John the Apostle, Saint Peter
  • South wall: Saint Andrew, Saint Paul

Outside the cathedral, on a terrace to the south, there is also a statue of Joan of Arc. She is shown in armor and holding a flag. This statue was a gift from the Bishop of Orléans in 1901.

Location and Special Items Inside

The cathedral overlooking the town

The cathedral is built on a hill that looks over the center of Nouméa. It sits on special flat areas, or terraces, that were built between 1876 and 1887. Because of its great view, its unique design (which looks like some cathedrals in Latin America), and the quality of its many items inside, it was named a monument historique (a protected historical building) on August 20, 1992.

Some of the important items inside include:

• The high altar, which was carved in 1860. It was moved here from an earlier main church.
• Beautiful carvings made from tamanu wood.
• The choir area and the bishop's throne.
• The chapels, where the huge holy water stoups are made from the shells of giant clams.
• A large chandelier, which is a copy of one in a famous church in Paris. It was made from one of the first pieces of nickel mined in New Caledonia.
• A carved lectern (a stand for reading).
• The organ loft, where the church organ is located.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de San José (Numea) para niños