Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore


Sacred Heart Cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Fabian Eestermans, Bishop of Lahore on 19 November 1907. The cathedral was built at the behest of bishop Godefroid Pelckmans with Belgian aid and materials. Its roots lie in the historical presence of the Belgian Capuchins in Pakistan. The design of this Cathedral was made according to the Roman Byzantine style by a Belgian architect, Edouard Dobbeleers of Antwerp.
The Cathedral is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore. A special commemorative postage stamp was released on the Centenary Day of the Cathedral by the Government of Pakistan. Pope Benedict XVI also sent a message for the jubilee of the Lahore cathedral. Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan, read out the special message from the Pope to the local congregation in Lahore.
On the occasion of centenary celebration of Cathedral the Pakistan Post Office issued a commemorative stamp to mark the event.
In 2007 Father Andrew Nisari was the Rector of the Cathedral.
On March 11, 2008, a suicide bomber drove a vehicle loaded with explosive material into the eight-storey FIA office situated at Temple Road, Lahore. At least ten of the cathedral's stained-glass windows were hit by the blast. Many of the other window panes were also blown out. In the meantime they have been restored in Belgium.
In 2011, the Cathedral had registered more than 20,000 baptisms and nearly 5,500 marriages since its founding.