St. Paul’s Cathedral in the city reached a milestone this year. The church is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The cathedral has acquired an additional sheen after repairs and renovation.
The evolution of the Cathedral is an interesting tale. An Italian architect and engineer, Brother Gianni David, had designed and supervised its construction.
A visionary, Brother David could foresee a lot of developments in this area, which was gifted with rare tranquillity. “Only a few buildings like the Maris Stella College and this Church existed,” recalls Father P.J. Stephen of the festival committee.
The lush green fields that welcomed visitors to the church continues to be a much-sought-after place because of its serenity despite being located in close proximity to the national highway.
The idea of constructing a cathedral was that of Cardinal Knox, the Apostolic Nuncio for India, who suggested construction of a new church at a place free of noise and dust. The observation was made in the context of the already existing church at One Town, which was very close to the railway station and had to bear the brunt of ash flying from charcoal from the railway station. Today, St. Paul’s Cathedral, is a nerve centre of religious activities. “Not just believers, but people from other faiths also visit this place,” he says. Bishop Joseph Thumma of Vijayawada took the initiative on March 23, 1974.
