Saint Joseph's Church, Singapore

For other uses, see Saint Joseph's (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 1°17′53.6″N 103°51′11.5″E / 1.298222°N 103.853194°E / 1.298222; 103.853194

Saint Joseph's Church as seen with many parishioners attending a Good Friday procession

The Church's central octagonal domed tower which is flanked by two smaller towers

The main entrance to the Church

Detail of a pinnacle

Saint Joseph's Church (Chinese: 圣约瑟教堂) is a Roman Catholic church in Singapore. It is located along Victoria Street in the Rochor Planning Area, within the Central Area of Singapore's central business district.

The church was constructed from 1906 to 1912 with its foundation-stone laid two years earlier. The building was built in the Gothic style by the Portuguese Mission.

Saint Joseph's Church is most noted for its annual Good Friday procession, during which Christ's Passion is honoured.

History

The history of Saint Joseph's Church and that of its predecessor, the Church of São José, both built on the same site, is inextricably linked with the Portuguese Mission. Father Francisco da Silva Pinto e Maia of Porto, head of the Portuguese Mission, arrived from Goa in 1826 and founded the Mission in Singapore. When he died in 1850, he left his money and some land for the building of a small church. His funds were augmented by a gift from the King of Portugal and the church was called São José. It was built by the man who succeeded him, the Reverend Vincente de Santa Catarina from 1851 to 1853.

In 1906, the Church of São José was pulled down. The present Saint Joseph's Church, completed in 1912, was built on the same site by the notable firm Swan & MacLaren.

Situated in the church compound and attached to the Mission was Saint Anthony's Boys' and Girls' School. It was first opened by Father José Pedro Santa Ana da Cunha in 1879 as Saint Anna's School in a small house along Middle Road. The school moved into the church compound in 1886 and changed its name. In 1893, separate boys' and girls' schools were formed. In 1999, the Portuguese Mission handed over Saint Joseph's Church to the Archdiocese of Singapore.

Saint Joseph's Church was gazetted a national monument on 14 January 2005. From 4 September to 12 November 2006, the church was one of the exhibition venues for the Singapore Biennale, Singapore's inaugural international biennale of contemporary art.

Today the church is served by 2 priests, Father Michael Teo and Father Andre Christophe MEP, with daily masses as well as Sunday masses. However, it is not a parish church.

The church was once home to a pipe organ, built in 1888 by Forster and Andrews, but is has since been dismantled. 2 and 3 manual Allen Digital Organs were installed in 2005 and 2009 respectively.

Architecture

The Church of Saint José was an attractive building in the classical style with a portico supported by four columns. It had a low square tower and bell turret.

Saint Joseph's Church is an architectural marvel structured in the form of a Latin cross and boasts beautifully crafted stained-glass windows. Another striking feature about this Gothic building is its central octagonal tower, capped by a dome and flanked by two smaller towers.

New buildings were added to the Church in 1938, 1954 and 1956.

See also

• Archdiocese of Singapore
• Roman Catholicism in Singapore

References

• National Heritage Board (2002), Singapore's 100 Historic Places, Archipelago Press, ISBN 981-4068-23-3
• Norman Edwards, Peter Keys (1996), Singapore - A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places, Times Books International, ISBN 9971-65-231-5
• Preservation of Monuments Board, Know Our Monuments

External links

• Singapore Catholic Church Directory
• Uniquely Singapore website