Co-Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, Catholic cathedral in Christian Quarter, Jerusalem.
The Co-Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus is a neo-Gothic church with a Greek-cross plan, 28 meters long and 24 meters wide. Its three-aisled interior has an 8.5-meter-wide nave and 4.5-meter side aisles overbuilt with galleries. Four stained-glass windows mark the ends of the cross, and five altars stand in the nave, aisles, and transept.
In 1847 the Ottoman Empire authorised the Catholic hierarchy to build a new cathedral in Palestine; the church was completed and consecrated on 11 February 1872, the 25th anniversary of the restoration of the Latin Patriarchate. It was built at the patriarchal seat at the wish of Patriarch Giuseppe Valerga. During construction, builders came upon remains of the solid masonry of Jerusalem's old wall.
The cathedral is the main place of worship for Latin Catholics in Jerusalem, and attending a mass here means sharing the space with both local parishioners and pilgrims from many countries. The liturgy is celebrated in several languages, which reflects the international character of the Catholic presence in the city.
The church stands inside the Latin Patriarchate complex, roughly midway between the New Gate and the Jaffa Gate, so it is reached on foot through the Old City lanes. It serves as the patriarchate's church and hosts diocesan functions on particular occasions, so entry can be closed during services. The 2022 change of title from co-cathedral to pro-cathedral reflects its status beside the Holy Sepulchre.
The church holds an exact copy of the bronze statue of Saint Peter venerated in Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. All Latin Patriarchs since 1847 are buried here, with one exception: Cardinal Filippo Camassei, who died in Rome on 18 January 1921 and lies in the tomb of the College of Propaganda Fide at the Verano cemetery.
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