St. Joseph's Cathedral - Buffalo, NY - Cathedrals on Waymarking.com

When the first bishop of Buffalo, John Timon, came to Western New York in 1847, Catholics made-up less than 30% of the city's population, worshipping in small congregations scattered across the city and outlying towns. Timon traveled abroad, seeking and receiving financial assistance and gifts-in-kind from Pope Pius IX, European kings, and the religious faithful of many countries in order to build a cathedral for his diocese.

Bishop Timon himself negotiated the gift of the great sanctuary windows, given by King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The windows won first prize at the Munich Exposition of 1854 in an exhibit sponsored by the king. Illustrating the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ, these were the first illustrated windows to be installed in the cathedral. Their rich and poignant imagery was especially important for the many uneducated people who came here to worship. On the advice of Pope Pius IX, the cathedral was dedicated to St. Joseph.

Four years passed from the groundbreaking for the cathedral in 1851 to its dedication in 1855, when more than 3,000 people gathered in the midst of a torrential rainstorm. By 1863, the diocese had cleared its books of the $150,000 spent to build the cathedral. Free of debt, it could now be consecrated. Bishop Timon presided over the ceremony, assisted by seven bishops and attended by hundreds of priests and thousands of lay people.

In 1912, a new church north of downtown Buffalo was planned for designation as the cathedral for the diocese by Bishop Charles E. Colton. Plagued by serious flaws in design and construction, the New Cathedral was finally abandoned and demolished in 1977, at which time St. Joseph's Cathedral regained its status as the bishop's church.

Source: Buffalo Architectural Museum website

Address: 50 Franklin St Buffalo, NY 14202 Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic Date founded or constructed: 1855/01/01 Web site: [Web Link]

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