Marvelous isn’t it? This is the Xujiahui Catholic Church also known as the St Ignatius Cathedral. It stands before you a testament to faith and resilience. This magnificent structure boasts a Neo-Gothic design. It was the brainchild of English architect William Doyle. French Jesuits painstakingly built it between 1906 and 1910. They called it the grandest church in the Far East. It could hold 2500 worshippers.
The history of this place is rich and complex. A smaller Greek-style church occupied this very spot earlier. That was back in 1851. It was demolished in the 1980s. This current cathedral took its place. The Xujiahui Catholic Church became even more significant in 1960. It became the seat of the Bishop of Shanghai. It also became the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shanghai.
Unfortunately the Xujiahui Catholic Church suffered greatly during the Cultural Revolution. In 1966 Red Guards wreaked havoc. They tore down spires and ceilings. They smashed nearly 300 square meters of stained glass. The Red Guards even attacked priests and nuns. Bishop Aloysius Zhang Jiashu bravely knelt and prayed. He was later sent to do hard labor. The church itself became a grain warehouse for ten years.
Despite this hardship the church’s spirit endured. It reopened in 1978. The spires were eventually restored in the early 1980s. In 1989 the first ever Chinese language Mass took place here. The restoration continues even today. In 2002 a five-year project began to replace the stained glass. The new windows feature Chinese characters and iconography. They were unveiled in time for the 2010 World Expo. A stunning sculpture of Holy Mary Chinese Empress arrived in 2014. It was created by Spanish sculptor Antonio Jesús Yuste Navarro.
The Xujiahui Catholic Church stands as a symbol of perseverance. It’s a stunning example of architectural grandeur. It’s also a place of deep spiritual significance. It embodies the unwavering faith of its people. It’s a place where history and faith intertwine. It truly is a breathtaking sight.