St. Joseph Co-Cathedral (Thibodaux, Louisiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Saint Joseph’s Co-Cathedral and Rectory
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 Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 721 Canal Boulevard, Thibodaux, Louisiana |
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| Built | 1923 |
| Architect | Joseph A. Robichaux |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| MPS | Thibodaux MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000435 |
| Added to NRHP | March 5, 1986 |
The St. Joseph Co-Cathedral is a special Catholic church in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. It is one of two main churches for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. The other is the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. St. Joseph Co-Cathedral is also the oldest Catholic community in the diocese.
The church building and its nearby rectory (where the priests live) were added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1986. This means they are important historical places.
History of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral
The St. Joseph community started in 1813. It became a mission of another church in 1817. Two years later, a small wooden church was built. This was near where the church cemetery is today. The first priest for St. Joseph was Rev. Antoine Potini.
This church is the oldest Catholic community in its diocese. Many other churches in the area started from it. A priest named Rev. Charles Menard had a brick church built in 1849. Sadly, this church was destroyed by a fire in 1916.
Something amazing survived the fire: the relics of Saint Valerie. Relics are special items connected to a saint. These relics are now in the current church. They are kept in a glass sarcophagus, which is like a special container.
The building you see today was started in 1920. It was finished three years later in 1923. This church was built in the Renaissance Revival style. The first church service was held on January 25, 1923. Beautiful marble and plaster decorations were added in 1931. The final paint colors were chosen in 1954.
Over time, new churches were created from St. Joseph. These include St. Genevieve Parish in 1959 and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in 1970.
In 1977, Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. St. Francis de Sales Church became the main cathedral. St. Joseph Church became the co-cathedral, sharing the special role.
In 1985, the St. Joseph Life Center was built. It holds the church's offices and a community space. The co-cathedral church was carefully restored in 2005.
Architecture and Design
The outside of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral is made of pressed brick with stone details. There are two tall towers on each side of the main front, called the façade. The front also has a large round window called a rose window. The roof is covered with terra cotta tiles.
Inside the church, a main feature is the 34-foot (10.4 m) tall Baldachin. This is a special canopy over the altar in the apse (the rounded end of the church). Symbols of the Four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are carved into its top edge. You can also find these symbols on the columns inside the church.
On the dome above, there are more symbols. These include the Tree of Knowledge, the Tree of Life, a snake, an apple, and peacocks. The peacocks represent the triumph and glory of Jesus Christ after he rose from the dead. You can also see the special symbols, or "coat of arms," for Pope Pius XI and Archbishop John Shaw.
The beautiful stained glass windows show scenes from the life of Jesus. They also show the seven Sacraments, which are important religious ceremonies. On all the columns, there is a crest with symbols of faith, hope, and charity. There is also a symbol of the Ship of Life. Below these, you can see carvings of grapes and wheat. These represent the Eucharist, a central part of Catholic worship.
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View up the nave toward the sanctuary
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Looking down the nave toward gallery
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Reliquary of St. Valerie
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Ceiling detail
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Cathedra
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Rectory
See also
In Spanish: Concatedral de San José (Thibodaux) para niños
