“Sign of stability, eternity”: Cardinal Brislin on 65th Anniversary of Christ the King Cathedral of Johannesburg

Johannesburg, 28 September, 2025 / 8:08 PM

The 65th anniversary of Christ the King Cathedral of South Africa's Johannesburg Catholic Archdiocese is a sign of faith, stability, and continuity, Stephen Cardinal Brislin has said.

In his remarks during the Cathedral's 65th anniversary on September 20 which the Apostolic Nuncio in South Africa, Archbishop Henryk Mieczysław Jagodziński presided, the Local Ordinary of Johannesburg Archdiocese reflected on the Cathedral’s historic significance, noting the blessing of having welcomed two canonised Saints: St. Pope John Paul II and St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Situated in a challenging part of Johannesburg, the Cathedral, Cardinal Brislin said, stands “as a sign of stability, eternity, and of lifting people out of the struggles of life, helping them to raise their eyes to God in gratitude for his protection and providence.”

“A Cathedral like this is not only a building of stone, but a sign of God’s presence with and among his people,” said the Local Ordinary of Johannesburg Archdiocese, who doubles as the president of the  Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC).

Cardinal Brislin expressed gratitude for the Nuncio’s presence and words. 

He praised Archbishop Jagodzinski’s homily, which reminded the people of God of “the beauty and importance of this Cathedral — a place of prayer, confirmation and celebration.”

The Cardinal noted the difficulty diplomats face in learning new cultures and languages, but commended the Nuncio for integrating gracefully into the Church in Southern Africa and for visiting dioceses across South Africa. 

“You have made an effort to know the Church in this country, and for that we are deeply grateful,” he said.

In his homily during the celebration, Archbishop Jagodzinski hailed Christ the King Cathedral for uniting “tradition with modernity” during its 65 years of existence.

The Polish-born diplomat, who also represents the Holy Father in Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, and Eswatini, explained that a Cathedral is neither solely a beautiful building nor an architectural masterpiece, even if its beauty indeed lifts people’s hearts to God.

Representatives from other Dioceses shared their appreciation for the milestone.

Fr. Wiseman Nkomo, the administrator of Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Manzini in Eswatini, lauded the 65th anniversary of Christ the King’s consecration.

“Mass was great, and the homily from the Nuncio reminded us about the importance of a cathedral, which fosters unity and celebrates special moments of the faithful,” Fr. Nkomo said.

He added, “We continue to pray for the cathedral to continue to make a difference in the lives of the people who enter into it to encounter God.” 

Fr. Nkomo also invited the people of God in Southern Africa to the kingdom of Eswatini for the planned Golden Jubilee of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) scheduled for September 24 – 29.

On his part, Fr. Lawrence Marekula, the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Witbank, expressed joy at being invited to the special celebration and said he enjoyed every moment. 

“The Cathedral is the heart of the archdiocese, so it was special to see people come to celebrate this milestone. On behalf of Bishop Xolelo Kumalo, I would like to congratulate the archdiocese on this milestone, and may God bless all those who attended and couldn’t attend the celebration,” Fr. Marekula said.

The Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Klerksdorp, Fr. Modise Ntuthang, said he also enjoyed the prayerful occasion in honouring both the 65th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of a papal visit to the cathedral. 

“I’d like to congratulate the Archdiocese of Johannesburg and pray that God will continue to bless the community to continue spreading the Gospel and giving other people hope, especially as people are losing hope in our country (South Africa),” Fr. Ntuthang said.

Kati Dijane contributed to the writing of this story