Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a restoration plan for St. Patrick’s Cathedral, worth 250 million rupees. The decision was made by the CM after a meeting with the administration of the cathedral led by Rector Rev Fr Mario Rodrigues.
In the meeting, a detailed description of the Cathedral from the Gazetteer of Sindh was also shared. It stated that “Church exterior is not ornamental, though striking from a distance, but money and art have been lavished on the interior. The chancel, itself spacious, acquires a special impressiveness but its additional height, while the noble contours of the aspiring altar are seen to be the best advantage. The whole interior is painted in oil and the windows are of stained glass, donated by the members of the congregation,”
The funds would be disbursed in multiple phases over a period of three years, and the first installment of 50 million rupees would be released after the completion of the documentary requirements of the restoration project. CM also mentioned that the heritage committee and experts would also assist the process to ensure that the original glory of the church’s interior is revived. Murad also acknowledged the contribution of the Christian community in various sectors, especially in education. He added that the missionary schools have maintained a quality standard of education and the government wishes to collaborate with them to help upgrade the quality of education in the private sector.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral is an iconic church with an eye-catching architecture, located on Shahrah-e-Iraq. It was built in Gothic Revival architecture with a capacity of at least 1,500 worshippers at the same time. The design of the building was made by Father Karl Wagner and George Kluver, SJ and Herman Lau, SJ supervised the construction. The church is one of the most beautiful architectural treats in the city and is much attracted to the photographers and painters for their artwork to portray the beauty of the city.
