History of St. Augustine Cathedral
(Guided tours are available to the community; youth groups, Catholic schools, senior citizen groups, etc, to introduce you to the treasures of the Cathedral, but also give you history and background to understand many artifacts in a fuller and richer way. If you are interested, please contact Ruth Jacome at 770-1245. She will be happy to arrange for such a tour.) As we walk through the doors of this magnificent cathedral, we think of the past and how it came to be.
With its Spanish influence, came the missionary priests to this territory. "The Chapel of the Royal Presidio of San Agustin in Tucson" was part of the Spanish fort built in 1776. Situated beneath "A" Mountain, another chapel, also named San Agustin, was built along with a convent. These buildings have since been reclaimed to the earth, from which they came.

San Agustin began as a one room chapel with a sacristy for the priest where soldiers and civilians came to pray. As the years passed, additional rooms were added to the chapel until the 1800’s when it was no longer used. In the 1860’s, the Bishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico sent Rev. Joseph Machebeuf to survey the condition of the church. Fr. Machebeuf reported to the Bishop that the population in Tucson was 600 and advised a priest be appointed to the area. A small house was donated to Fr. Machebeuf by the civilians and gradually took on the appearance of a church. In 1866, Rev. Jean B. Salpointe was appointed as pastor and work on the building began in earnest. Two years passed before the Church or Cathedral, as it was called even then, was completed. That same year, the Holy See declared the territory of Arizona a Vicariate Apostolic and Fr. Salpointe, became Most Rev. Jean B. Salpointe, Vicar Apostolic of the area. In 1966, 100 years after the coming of Bishop Salpointe, time had taken its toll on the church and the Mother Church of the Diocese became unsafe for worshippers. The restoration began in 1966, completed in 1968 and the event coincided with 100 years of ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Arizona and the 100th anniversary of the completion of the original church of San Agustin. St. Augustine’s Cathedral continues to serve it faithful parishioners and all Roman Catholics of the Diocese in Tucson.

The Cathedral’s elaborate cast stone façade is a real treasure of sign and symbolism. Below the cross at the top is the coat of arms of Pope Pius XI, the pontiff at the time of the façade’s construction. The shell at the top of the ornate designs surroundings the window symbolizes evangelization. Left to right on the band that runs the width of the façade at the base of the bronze statue of St. Augustine’s are coats of arms of Bishop Salpointe and Bishop Bourgade; the symbols of the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and the coat of arms of Bishop Granjon and Bishop Gercke. Above the main door are various desert plants; the cross and anchor which are symbols of faith and hope. In the raised hand of the statue is a heart, which is the symbol of charity. Just to the right, at the top of the curve, is a representation of Mission San Xavier del Bac. On the capitals of the pilasters at the side of the main door are spikes of yucca and the desert horned toad. In the vestibule are statues of the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Anthony, St. Jude and St. Joseph.

The large crucifix was carved at Pamplona, Spain and dates back to the 12th or 13th century. Following are stained glass windows of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Augustine with his mother, St. Monica. As you enter the cathedral, your attention will be drawn to the statue of the Risen Christ hanging on the wall. The statue was carved in Spain and was a special gift to the Cathedral. It was installed in 1981. The statue is nearly 17 feet tall and weighs two tons. To install the statue, a large crane lowered a cable through a hole drilled in the roof and ceiling over the Sanctuary. The statue was rolled down the main aisle and up into the Sanctuary where it was attached to the cable and lifted into place.

To the left of the main altar is a chapel of Blessed Sacrament. To the right of the main altar is a chapel of prayer in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. "La Virgen", as she is called with so much admiration, is one of the most revered persons, especially in Mexico, and by all Catholics throughout the world. "La Virgen" has been honored in this area since soldiers were stationed in the Tucson Presidio Fort. During this period, there were two patron saints - "La Virgen" for the soldiers going to do battle against the Apaches, and St. Augustine for the rest of the population. Prior to each battle, soldiers would hold a short procession carrying the image of "La Virgen". After 1864, the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe disappeared and its whereabouts has remained a mystery.

The floor of the Cathedral slopes gradually so that all can have a good view of the main altar. The seating can accommodate up to 1,250 people. The main altar, pulpit, lectern, and the Baptismal Font, crafted by David Rico, are carved from walnut and feature the saguaro blossom. Below the statue of the Risen Christ is the "cathedra" or Bishops Chair. The four tall candleholders (catafaulk), are from Mexico, dating back to the 1920’s. The organ was designed and built by David McDowell in Tucson and has 38 ranks. The stained glass windows of the Sanctuary display the coat of arms of past bishops. The 12 windows centered above the arches feature the symbols of the apostles. The eight lower windows, made in Germany, were retained from the old Cathedral. Each has two themes; the major theme in the lower part depicts a scene from the life of St. Augustine. The minor theme in the upper part notes the history of the Franciscans and Jesuits in Arizona and the Apostles. The window over the main entrance is the Symbol of the Holy Spirit and is in the original choir loft.

The "Cathedra" "Yet it is an irony of the Gospel that there, in the midst of all this world’s most serious problems, there is the chair of the bishop. It stands not as a witness to the past but to the existential concern we have as a Church community ofr the poor. In what better place could that chair be placed, for here it becomes a sacrament to all of our concerns." (Most Rev. John R. Roach) Without this most important symbol, the "Cathedra", known as the Bishop’s chair; a church cannot become a cathedral. The "Cathedra", currently at St. Augustine, was made for Bishop Henry R. Granjon, and now it is emblazoned with the coat of arms of the present Bishop, the Most Rev. Gerald F. Kicanas. From this "Cathedra", the Bishop conducts the official ceremonies of the Diocese.

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