CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

The present stately Cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The construction work was begun in 1846 by Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Anthony Borghi, OFM Cap, the Vicar- Apostolic of Tibet-Hindustan and was solemnly blessed by him on January 1, 1848. The architect of the Cathedral was Rev. Fr. Bonaventure, an Italian from Florence. In 1857 the Church was extensively damaged during the First War of Independence. The magnificent High Altar which was donated by Messers John & Co. was consecrated with great solemnity by the Most Rev. Dr. Gentili, OFM Cap., in December 1899. The beauty of the Church was further enhanced by paving its floor with white and black marble slabs and replacing the six plaster altars at the side with marble ones. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception had been renovated in 1986, in preparation for the Centenary Celebration of the establishment of the Vicariate Apostolic of Agra into a Metropolitan See by the letter of the His Holiness Pope Leo XIII 'humanae salutis auctor' dated 1st September 1886. The work began in March 1986 by Fr. Thomas K.C., the then Parish Priest and with guidance of Archbishop the Most Rev. Dr. Cecil DeSa, entire ceiling and the entire Church building and four pictures of the Stations of the Cross (9, 10, 11 & 12) in the Church were painted, which were totally damaged. The Church had a gorgeous new look. In addition to this, a well-designed boundary wall was built around the Grotto. The oval-shaped and well designed boundary wall built around the Akbar's Church, added a royal look, befitting to the donor and the illustrious benefactor of the Mission in the sixteenth century, Akbar the Great. The Cathedral has been renovated under the directions of Archbishop Albert D'Souza, Fr. John Ferreira and Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Joe Thykkattil in 2013. Some of the milestones in the history of the Cathedral parish are 1. St. Patrick's Jr. College (Estd. 1842), 2. St. Peter's College (Estd. 1846), St. Vincent's Girls' High School (Estd. 1912) and St. Paul's Inter College (Estd. 1959). For many years the Cathedral was under the Capuchin Fathers and they had handed it over to the Diocesan Priests. The following are the Parish Priests: Fr. John Pachelli Fernandes 1969 - 1973 Fr. Ivan Thotungal, OFM Cap 1973 - 1976 Fr. Joe Vadakekkara 1976 - 1985 Fr. K.C. Thomas 1985 - 1990 Fr. Joe Thykkattil 1990 - 1999 Fr. Gregory Tharayil 1999 - 2001 Fr. John D'Cunha 2001 - 2005 Fr. Raphy Manjaly 2005 - 2007 Fr. Jose Maliekal 2007 - 2012 Fr. Joe Thykkattil 2012 - 2018 Fr. Ignatius Miranda 2018 - Address Cathedral House Wazirpura Road, Agra - 282 003 Phone 0562-2851318, 2524806 E-mail agracathedral1848@gmail.com Primary Patroness Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Secondary Patron St. Gonsalo Garcia Annual Feast Day December 8 Estd. 1848 Catholics 1025 Mass Centre The Church of Pieta, Agra Clergy Fr. Ignatius Miranda (PP) Fr. Viniversal D’Souza (APP) Religious Houses Convent of Jesus & Mary (RJM) T. 2521108, 7060113789 Fatima Convent (FS) T. 2857203 Franciscan Brothers (CMSF) M. 6295343300 San Damiano Convent (FCC) T. 2851276, 9058087007 Satyaseva Sadan (SCS) M.9410663550 St. Francis Convent (CFMSS) M. 9873316266 St. Alphonsa Convent (MSA) M. 8171007358 Vianney Home T. 0562 - 2851318 Institutions: ACDSSS (Diocesan Social Work) T. 2522887 Sadbhavana (Centre for Dialogue) T. 7351174888 St. Joseph's Pastoral Centre T. 2527313 St. Alphonsa Institute of Spl. Edu. T. 2850003 St. Felix Nursery School T. 2856448 St. Francis Convent School M. 8791077004, 9639381605 St. Joseph's Girls' Inter College T. 2851850, 9411463716 St. Joseph's Press (CMSF) M. 9457777308 St. Patrick's Junior College T. 2853848, 2520107 St. Patrick's Boarding (Girls) M.8435507721 St. Paul's Inter College T. 2850443, 886988455 St. Peter's College T. 2852376 St. Vincent's Girls' High School M. 7500060895 St. Vincent's Girls' Hostel M. 9536637730 UKSVK T. 2524087

Cathedral House Wazirpura Road, Agra - 282 003