St. Joseph’s

Established in 1875, St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Moston holds a unique place in Manchester’s history. A catastrophic flood in 1872 ravaged the Roman Catholic section of Philips Park Cemetery. Coffins were shattered, bodies swept away. This devastation prompted the creation of St. Joseph’s, a dedicated Catholic sanctuary. The cemetery was consecrated on August 1st, 1875, and placed under the patronage of St. Joseph, “Patron of a Happy Death.” The early days saw a temporary chapel, awaiting a grander structure. The remains of martyrs, gifted to the Bishop of Salford, were intended for a shrine within the chapel. However, the incomplete altar delayed this solemn placement. The Bishop conducted a service, then led a procession to the designated burial ground for clergy. A large cross, adorned with a crown of thorns and spear, marked the spot. Later, on November 7th, 1875, the relics of S. Urban, St. Lucidianus, and S. Prospero were brought to the cemetery in a grand procession. Priests in red copes carried the relics on a bier, sheltered by a canopy. The Bishop’s sermon focused on the martyrs’ sacrifice. In 1876, the remains of Bishop William Turner and several priests were transferred from Salford Cemetery to St. Joseph’s. Salford Cemetery, while blessed, lacked the consecrated ground of St. Joseph’s. The desire was for these men of faith to rest near the martyrs. A significant expansion occurred in 1904. Fourteen acres and the Santo Campo were consecrated. The Santo Campo, designed by Oswald C. Hill, drew inspiration from North Italian burial sites. Its cloisters housed vaults for bishops, clergy, and laity. A grand procession marked the consecration, with a low mass celebrated and the Bishop explaining the meaning of “Santo Campo” – holy field. St. Joseph’s also became the final resting place for eleven priests from St. Augustine’s RC Church in 1909. Their remains were transferred to the Santo Campo, accompanied by a requiem mass and an address by Bishop Casartelli. Today, the marble statues that grace older graves at St. Joseph’s stand as testaments to a time before height restrictions. They offer a glimpse into the cemetery’s rich past, a history intertwined with both tragedy and devotion.