St. Joseph's Cathedral

The story of St. Joseph's Cathedral

St. Joseph’s Cathedral is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucknow, and what you notice first is its raised entrance and the large figure of Jesus on the façade. The church attached to Cathedral School sits in Hazratganj, so it is right in the middle of a busy part of Lucknow.

Britannica isn’t the source for this place, but one published page on St Joseph’s Cathedral Church Lucknow says the church was built in the 19th century by an Irish priest, Rev. Fr. William Gleeson, who came from Golaganj to Hazratganj. That page adds that the work was completed in 1862 and then blessed by Bishop Anastasius Hartmann, with money raised partly from selling a piece of land from a former mission at Golabganj and partly from public subscriptions.

Another published page calls it the biggest church in Lucknow and places its establishment in 1860. It also describes a series of steps leading up to the entrance, and notes that Christmas is a time when the church is filled with devotees and visitors, with carols and festivities.

So as you stand here, look up at the front, then back down to the stairway and the shared compound with the school beside it.