, image = StJosephDusk.jpg , imagesize = , imagelink = , imagealt = , caption = Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph , pushpin map = United States San Jose , pushpin label position = , pushpin map alt = , map caption = , latm = , lats = , latNS = , longm = , longs = , longEW = , coordinates = , osgraw = , osgridref = , location = 80 South Market Street
San Jose, California , country = , denomination = Roman Catholic , previous denomination = , churchmanship = , membership = , attendance = , website
www.stjosephcathedral.org
, former name = , bull date = , founded date = , founder = , dedication =

Saint Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...

, dedicated date = 1990 , consecrated date = 1803, 1877 , cult = , relics = , events = , past bishop = The Most Rev. R. Pierre DuMaine
The Most Rev. Patrick Joseph McGrath , people = , status = Minor Basilica, Cathedral , functional status = Active , heritage designation = California Historical Landmark #910
National Register of Historic Places #77000345 , designated date = , architect = , architectural type = , style = , groundbreaking = 1876 , completed date = 1885 , construction cost = , closed date = , demolished date = , capacity = 950 , length = , width = , width nave = , height = , diameter = , other dimensions = , floor count = , floor area = , dome quantity = , dome height outer = , dome height inner = , dome dia outer = , dome dia inner = , spire quantity = , spire height = , materials = , parish = , deanery = Deanery 3 , archdeaconry = , episcopalarea = San José in California , archdiocese = Archidioecesis Sancti Francisci , metropolis = , diocese = Dioecesis Sancti Josephi in California , province = Ecclesiastical province of San Francisco , presbytery = , synod = , circuit = , district = , division = , subdivision = , archbishop = , bishop =

Oscar Cantú Oscar Cantú (born December 5, 1966) is a Mexican-American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of San Jose in California since 2018. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Las Cruces in New Mexico fro ...

, dean = Rev. Fr. Ritche Bueza
(St. John the Baptist Parish) , subdean = , provost = , provost-rector = , viceprovost = , canon = , canonpastor = , precentor = , archdeacon = , prebendary = , rector = , vicar = , curate = , priestincharge = , priest = , asstpriest = , minister = , assistant = , honpriest = , deacon = , seniorpastor = , pastor = Rev. Fr. Joseph M. Benedict , abbot = , chaplain = , reader = , organistdom = , director = Julie Wind , organist = Aileen Chanco , organscholar = , chapterclerk = , laychapter = , warden = , businessmgr = Susan Olsen , liturgycoord = Melissa Broome Ursin , reledu = Susan Olsen , rcia = , youthmin = , flowerguild = , musicgroup = , parishadmin = Tanis Zuccaro , serversguild = , logo = , logosize = , logolink = , logoalt = The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph ( es, Catedral Basílica de San José) is a large Roman Catholic church in Downtown San Jose, which serves as the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California, with the distinction of minor basilica. The basilica is named for

, patron saint of the Catholic Church and namesake of San Jose, California.

History

The original St. Joseph's Church was called San Jose de Guadalupe built on the site of the current basilica in 1803, and was the first non- mission parish built in California for the benefit of Spanish settlers instead of the Mission Indians (Ohlone). The Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe was connected with Mission Santa Clara by The Alameda which was part of the historic El Camino Real. The original

adobe Adobe ( ; ) is a building material made from earth and organic materials. is Spanish for ''mudbrick''. In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States, the term is used to refer to any kind of e ...

structure was damaged by earthquakes in 1818 and 1822. In 1835, prominent

Californio Californio (plural Californios) is a term used to designate a Hispanic Californian, especially those descended from Spanish and Mexican settlers of the 17th through 19th centuries. California's Spanish-speaking community has resided there sinc ...

businessman

Antonio Suñol Don Antonio María Suñol was a Spanish-born Californio businessman, ranchero, and politician. Suñol served two terms as Alcalde of San José (mayor) and was one of the largest landowners in the Bay Area. He is the namesake of the town of Suno ...

donated the land at the northeast corner of the Plaza del Pueblo (modern Plaza de César Chávez) for the construction of a new, larger adobe church. Suñol, alongside his brother-in-law

Antonio María Pico Don Antonio María Pico was a Californio politician, ranchero, and a signer of the California Constitution in 1849. He also served twice as Alcalde of San José. Biography Antonio María Pico, a member of the prominent Pico family of California, ...

(who served as

Alcalde of San José This is a list of pre-statehood alcaldes and mayors of San Jose, from 1777 to 1850, during the Spanish, Mexican, and early American periods, prior to California's admission to statehood. Spanish era Mexican era American era See also *Ma ...

at the time), oversaw the construction of the church for the next eight years until its completion and consecration in 1846. In 1842, Suñol petitioned

Francisco García Diego y Moreno Francisco García Diego y Moreno, OFM, (17 September 1785 – 30 April 1846) was the first bishop of the Diocese of the Californias. Early episcopal appointments In 1801, he received the habit of Francis at the missionary College of Guadalupe ...

, the Bishop of the Californias, for proper religious vestments and relics for the church. The second church was severely damaged by the

1868 Hayward earthquake The 1868 Hayward earthquake occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States on October 21. With an estimated moment magnitude of 6.3–6.7 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (''Violent''), it was the most recent large ear ...

. Work on the third church began in 1869. The third church was destroyed by fire in 1875, and a temporary fourth church was built a few blocks away while the fifth and current church was being constructed. The fifth church was dedicated by Joseph Alemany, Archbishop of San Francisco, in 1877 while construction continued. The current

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

was completed in 1884, and the large

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

was finished in 1885. In 1981, a major renovation project was begun at the church, which was to become the cathedral for the new Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose. In 1985, the church was elevated to a cathedral, pending completion of the restoration in 1990. It replaced

Saint Patrick Proto-Cathedral Parish Our Lady of La Vang Parish ( vi, Giáo Xứ Đức Mẹ La Vang, es, Iglesia Católica Nuestra Señora de La Vang), formerly Saint Patrick Proto-Cathedral Parish, is a Vietnamese national parish and former cathedral of the Roman Catholic Dioces ...

, located a few blocks away, as the cathedral of the diocese. The cathedral was made a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph is listed as a California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Architecture

Plaques at entrance

Just inside the entrance to the cathedral are two plaques that read:

Joseph bible quotes

The top of the walls of the inside of the cathedral include quotes from the Vulgate about Joseph: * - ANGELVS DOMINI APPARVIT IN SOMNIS JOSEPH NOLI TIMERE ACCIPERE MARIAM CONIVGEM TVAM * - EXSVRGENS JOSEPH A SOMNO FECIT SICVT PRÆCEPIT ET ANGELVS DOMINI ET ACCEPIT CONIVGEN SVAM * - FVTVRVM EST VT HERODES QVÆRAT PVERVM AD PEDENDVM ET MATREM EIVS NOCTE ET SECESSIT IN ÆGYPTVM * - DIXIT MATER EIVS ECCE PATER TVVS ET EGO DOLENTES QVÆREBVS TE * - DESCENDIT CVM EIS ET VENIT NAZARET ET ERAT SVBDITVS ILLIS * - ET JESVS PVTABATVR FILIVS JOSEPH

Stained glass windows

The stained glass windows going counter clockwise from the east transept depict: # Agony in the Garden # Crucifixion # Saint

Aloysius Gonzaga Aloysius de Gonzaga ( it, Luigi Gonzaga; 9 March 156821 June 1591) was an Italian aristocrat who became a member of the Society of Jesus. While still a student at the Roman College, he died as a result of caring for the victims of a serious epid ...

# Saint Catherine of Alexandria #

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...

# Saint John # Saint Luke # The Holy Family #

Saint Casimir Casimir Jagiellon ( la, Casimirus; lt, Kazimieras; pl, Kazimierz; 3 October 1458 – 4 March 1484) was a prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Second son of King Casimir IV Jagiellon, he was tutored by Johannes ...

# Saint

Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066. Edward was the son of Æth ...

# Saint John the Baptist # Saint Mark # Saint Matthew # Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque & The Sacred Heart of Jesus # Saint Francis Xavier # Saint Claude de la Colombière # Resurrection # Ascension

Odell pipe organ

The Odell pipe organ was built in 1886 by the J. H. and C. S. Odell Company in Yonkers, New York. It is the only such Odell instrument surviving in its original condition in the United States. It has 40,000 parts. It has 27 ranks of 60 pipes each. It was restored in 1987–90.

Gallery

File:StJoseph1.jpg , From the baptismal font, looking up the nave to the altar. File:StJoseph3.jpg , The south semitransept, from the altar File:StJoseph4.jpg , The nave from the altar, showing the baptismal font, with organ loft above File:StJoseph5.jpg , The altar from the top of the nave with the ambo and cathedra behind it File:StJoseph6.jpg , The altar, from the north semitransept File:Interior dome - Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San Jose, California - DSC03764.JPG , Interior of the large dome over the crossing

References

External links

Official Cathedral Site

Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose Official SiteCathedrals of California
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cathedral Basilica Of St. Joseph (San Jose) Joseph Joseph Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California Roman Catholic churches in San Jose, California National Register of Historic Places in Santa Clara County, California Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in California 1803 establishments in New Spain Roman Catholic churches completed in 1885 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States Tourist attractions in San Jose, California Churches in Santa Clara County, California Church buildings with domes California Historical Landmarks Cathedrals in San Jose, California