HISTORY OF HOLY CROSS CATHEDRAL LAGOS.

In the year 1878 the foundation stone of Holy Cross Pro Cathedral was laid, but its history goes back to the year 1864nand its inseparably linked up with the history of the Brazillian repatriates who began to return from the forced exile about 1838.

In the sad days of “human traffic”, many Nigerians were transported to Brazil by the Portuguese to work there under their masters.  During their exile they aquired the knowledge of the language, culture and religion of their masters and on theire return to therie native land, they brought bacxk witht hem a basic knowlege of the new civilisation which they had assimilated abroad.
the repartriates who spoke the same acquired foreign language and followed the same way of life, settled in the same part of  the town (Lagos) to be known as the Brazillian quarters of Popo Aguda or Popo Maro. these repartriates formed a community to be known as the Brazillian community. An outstanding characteristic of this community was that they not only brought back with them a knowledge of the Catholic faith, but that they were determined to practice and preserve it.

Every Sunday without fail, they gathered for religious worship in the house of their most influtial compatriot Senhor Isidore Ezechiel de Souza.  The service of the Word was conducted in Portuguese by their great religious leader, a layman popularly known as “Padre Anthonio”.
For a quarter of a century (about 1838 – 1863) this illustrious Brazillian Repatriate lead the religious service -Sunday after Sunday.He was held in high esteem by his people “for his ascertic and pious life, religious zeal and saintly character”.

In 1861 the Repatriates heard of the arrival of a Catholic Priest in Whydah, in Dahomey and the start there of the Catholic Faith. Immediately they sent an appeal to Ouidah, inviting the priest to come over to Mrcedonia– Lagos– and help.  In 1863, Revd. Fr. Borghro came to Lagos in response to the appeal.  He was the first Catholic Priest to visit Lagos and celebrated the First on Lagos Island on the 24th September 1863.  Needless to say that he was accorded a welcome worthy of an expected Messiah.
In 1864, three outstanding events took place: the Brazillians led by the Senghor Izidore Ezechiel de Souza began negotiations with the British Government for the acquisition of a site on which to build a Church. 2. Fr. Boghero came again from Quidah and claimed the land allocated to the community.  3. A huge wooden cross was erected on the site of the Church to be.  The same day, the Brazillian community vowed to erect on that site a Church worthy of their Catholic faithand dedicated to the Holy Cross.  this was the begining and the nucleus of the present HOLY CROSS CATHEDRAL.

In 1868, Revd. Fr. Bouche came to LAgos as the first resident priest of Holy Cross Mission.  For some time he lodged at Marble Hall an area now occupied by the CMS Bookshop and behind the residence of Senhor Candido da Rocha. Fr. Bouche returned from leave in Europe in 1873 and brought with him four Revd. Sisters for work among the women and girls.  The sisters were: Veronique, Clara, Joseph and Colette.
The first community of Revd Frs– Boghero, Chause, Clond and Bouche– all of the Society of African Missions took up residence in Holy Cross Mission in 1875,  and in 1878, the foundation stone of Holy Cross Pro-Cathedral was laid. Mother Veronique wrote as follows:
“from the laying of the foundation in 1878, general and incredible enthusiasm marked the work throughout.  Senhor Lazarus Borges da Silva headed the group of masters masons. Young and old, men and women, vied with one another in carrying bricks from the waterside to the site.  the Governor of the Colony, Sir C. Alfred Moloney, leading the file of brick carriers while the Government band cheered them up with music.”

Revd. Fr. Chausse became Vicar Apostolic in 1880 and handed over the supervission of the building of the Pro-Cathedral to Fr. Carambon.  In 1881, the building with one tower was completed, blessed and opened for use with due pomp and solemnity on the feast of the Most Holy Rosary.  The second tower was added in 1883 and thus it remained substantially till 1934 when the Parishioners of Holy Cross Parish realised that it was too small to serve the needs of the growing CAtholic population and a  new one had to be built.  this work was undertaken by Bishop O’Rourke and he laid the foundation stone of the present Holy Cross Cathedral in August 1934 and the supervision of the building was given to Revd. Fr. Aime Simeon of blessed memory.  The Cathedral as it stands today is a living monument to his indefatigable labour and zeal.
The new Holy Cross Cathedral was solemnly consecrated by His Grace, Archbishop J.K.A.Aggey on Friday 18th April 1969.  At that ceremony the present Archbishop His Eminence Anthony Cardinal Okogie as a young priest was the Master of Ceremonies. 

He took over the reigns of the Archdiocese after the death of Aggey in 1973.


by Revd. Fr. Julius A. Olaitan