The Cathedral of the Holy Family is a late 20th-century church that serves as the

Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

—together with the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph the Worker—of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago in

American Samoa American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...

, an unincorporated territory of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It is located in the Ottoville district of Tafuna, the largest city in the territory.

Leadership

Rev. John Quinn Weitzel was appointed by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

to serve as the first Catholic bishop of the newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago in American Sāmoa. He was ordained as a bishop of the Catholic Church at Fatuoaiga on October 29, 1986. Bishop Weitzel was a patron of the arts and a strong supporter of local artists, whose work adorns much of the Cathedral of the Holy Family. The current bishop is the Most Rev. Kolio Etuale.

Architecture

The construction of the cathedral began between the late 1980s and early 1990s and it opened in 1995. It is known for its art pieces, which incorporate the Samoan culture. The exterior architecture of the church is modern, blending Samoan cultural elements with Catholic symbolism. The building is entirely white, with a large dome in the centre, featuring a symmetrical design. The interior of the church is noted for its mixture of European and local Samoan features in its design. This is demonstrated in the

stained glass window Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

s and numerous pieces of art adorning the cathedral. A 1991 painting by Duffy Sheridan features the Holy Family, with a Samoan beach as the setting.

References

{{reflist Roman Catholic churches completed in 1994 Holy Family, Tafuna Tafuna, American Samoa 1994 establishments in American Samoa 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States

Leadership

Architecture

See also

References