St. Theresa’s Cathedral, Juba

St. Theresa’s Cathedral stands in Kator, Juba, and is the principal cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba. The archdiocese identifies the church, dedicated to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, as the seat of the Archbishop. Its official parish history states that the foundation was laid in 1959 and that the cathedral was inaugurated on 29 April 1962.

The church therefore belongs to the important generation of Christian institutions established in Juba before South Sudan became independent. The cathedral remains a central place for Catholic worship in the capital, with services using Bari, Arabic and English as well as a children’s Mass. Its national ecclesiastical importance was especially visible during Pope Francis’s visit to South Sudan in February 2023.

The Holy See records that on 4 February the Pope went to Saint Theresa Cathedral for a meeting with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated people and seminarians, where he was received by the Archbishop of Juba and the parish priest. The cathedral is included here for its documented historical and institutional importance to Catholic life in South Sudan. No well-documented apparition, miracle or healing tradition has been identified for the site, so no such claim is made.