Nouméa Cathedral facts for kids

Nouméa Cathedral

The Nouméa Cathedral (its full name is Cathédrale Saint-Joseph de Nouméa) is a beautiful Roman Catholic church located in Nouméa, the capital city of New Caledonia. It is named after Saint Joseph, who was the husband of the Virgin Mary. Since 1966, this cathedral has been the main church for the Archdiocese of Nouméa, which is like a large church district.

A Look Back: How the Cathedral Was Built

This amazing church, dedicated to Saint Joseph, was built a long time ago, between 1887 and 1897. It was meant to be the main church for the area, which was called the Vicariate Apostolic of Nouvelle-Calédonie back then.

Interestingly, the cathedral was built by prisoners, following plans made by a former prisoner named Labulle. It was officially blessed on October 26, 1890, and opened to the public on November 1, 1890. The church was fully dedicated in 1893, even before its front and bell towers were completely finished.

What the Cathedral Looks Like

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 special arched ceilings. The transept, which is the part that crosses the main body, is about 36 meters (118 feet) wide.

The building stands about 15.5 meters (51 feet) tall. On the front, there are two towers, each about 25 meters (82 feet) high. These towers have stone railings at the top. Originally, they planned to add tall, pointy spires to the towers, but they decided not to because of the many cyclones (strong storms) that hit the area.

The two towers and the frames around the doors and windows are made of finely 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, like the arched ceilings, are made from a special red wood called kauri. The roof is made of corrugated metal.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

Inside the cathedral, you'll find 28 stunning stained glass windows. These windows tell stories and show pictures of different saints and important figures from the Bible.

• In the main part of the church (Nave):

* 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 crossing part (Transept):

* 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 (area near the altar):

* North wall: Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Michael * South wall: Saint Austremonius, Saint Leo I

• In the rounded end (Apse):

* North wall: Saint John the Apostle, Saint Peter * South wall: Saint Andrew, Saint Paul

Outside the cathedral, on the terrace, there is also a statue of Joan of Arc. She is shown wearing 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 Nouméa Cathedral sits on a hill, giving it a great view over the center of Nouméa. It was built on special flat areas called terraces, which were created between 1876 and 1887.

In 1992, the cathedral was officially recognized as a monument historique (a historical monument). This was partly because of its amazing view, partly because its design looks like some cathedrals in Latin America, and partly because of the beautiful items inside.

Some of these special items include:

• The high altar, which was carved in 1860. It came from an earlier church and became part of the cathedral in 1893.
• Carvings made from a local wood called tamanu.
• The choir area and the bishop's throne.
• Giant holy water stoups (bowls for holy water) made from the shells of huge giant clams.
• A large chandelier that looks like one from a famous church in Paris. This one was made from some of the first 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