HYDERABAD: St Joseph’s Cathedral in Gunfoundry is one of Hyderabad’s oldest churches. Gunfoundry, also known as Tope ka Sancha, was constructed by French General Monseigneur Raymond and is situated in a lane opposite Jamia Masjid Aliya. Accessible through the side lane of Lepakshi Emporium, it was established as one of the cannonball factories in 1786.
The origins of this Roman Catholic church trace back to 1640 AD when Fr Francesco Manco arrived in India, establishing communities in Golconda and Masulipatnam. By 1645, Pope Urban VII appointed Fr Matteo de Castro as the Vicar Apostolic of Idalkan, covering Golconda. In the 1650s, churches were built in Bhagnagar (Jahanumah) and Hyderabad.
Fast forward to the 19th century, Msgr Daniel Murphy worked in Secunderabad from 1838 and relocated to Chaderghat in September 1848. By 1851, he became the first Vicar Apostolic of Hyderabad. In December 1869, Fr Tagliabue Antonio purchased land to construct St Joseph’s Church, School, and Convent.
The foundation was laid on March 19, 1870, by Msgr Caprotti Pietro, and Fr Malberti Luigi completed the building in 1875. After Hyderabad attained diocesan status in 1886, St Joseph’s Church was declared the Cathedral by Pope Leo XIII on March 17, 1887. The towers and façade were finished in 1891, and five out of eight bells from Milan, Italy, were installed in 1892, along with imported statues, mural carvings, and artifacts.
The narrative extends to the contributions of the Sisters of St Ann, Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, and Franciscan Brothers in education and healthcare. FMM sisters initiated an ambulatory in 1911, working at Osmania General Hospital in 1913 and the Camp Hospital (Niloufer “Fever Hospital”) in 1918. Chapels were constructed by the Nizam at St Michael’s at Osmania and St Roch’s at the Camp Hospital, recognizing their commendable work.
Notably, in 1953, the Seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, HEH Mir Osman Ali Khan, attended the midnight mass and bestowed the Cathedral with a clock, an oil painting of the Blessed Mother and Christ Child by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, chandeliers, and furniture.
Transitioning to the 20th century, local clergy assumed leadership, and Bishop Mark Gopu became the area’s first Bishop. In 1964, the Cathedral welcomed its first local Parish Priest, Msgr Alfred Fernandez, who later became the Bishop of Allahabad.
The church resembles neo-gothic architectural design and vibrant Christmas festivities contribute to its prominence in the city.