St Francis Xavier Cathedral
Great landmark and a unique Architecture. A beautiful Church for worship!
Building of the Cathedral
The building of St Francis Xavier Cathedral began in March 1916. Throughout 1917 and 1918 building progressed steadily.
On Sunday 18 August 1918 the Archbishop of Perth gave the sermon at the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Cathedral.
Grand Opening
The grand opening of St Francis Xavier Cathedral took place on Sunday 28 August 1938, twenty-five years after the initial designs were produced. The celebratory program extended over four days and the official opening ceremony was attended by both the Archbishop of Perth and the Premier of Western Australia.
A great landmark
A landmark building of international importance, the story of this fabulous twentieth century cathedral has been published world-wide in a book listing 83 magnificent cathedrals from around the world.
The Architect
The first Bishop of Geraldton, Bishop William Kelly met a London trained architect and seminarian John Cyril Hawes in Rome in 1913. Bishop Kelly invited John Hawes to Western Australia and asked him to design a Cathedral for his newly formed diocese.
Fr Hawes arrived in WA during 1915, and by March 1916 began preparations for building St Francis Xavier Cathedral. Hawes was responsible for the design and construction, and also assisted Bishop Kelly to raise the funds required to pay for the mother church of the diocese.
Location Map of the Cathedral
"You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18)
