WHEN:  Sunday, October 19, 2025, 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle, 600 58th Street North, St. Petersburg

WHAT: 75th Anniversary Mass of the Establishment of St. Jude the Apostle Parish. In 1968, Pope Paul VI elevated St. Jude the Apostle Parish to a cathedral for the newly established Diocese of Saint Petersburg.

Background:

On December 12, 1950, Archbishop Joseph Hurley established St. Jude the Apostle Parish in St. Petersburg. The sleepy town was starting to experience rapid growth, and another Catholic church was needed in the area.  The little church that started with 75 people gathering for Mass (Sunday worship service) at a garage on the property of Admiral Farragut Academy has grown to become a vibrant parish community with more than 4,000 parishioners, a thriving school, and a beautiful cathedral. The church also serves as a beacon of hope to so many who benefit from the spiritual, educational, and charitable service provided to the community.

One of the church’s most unique design features is a large gold dome that rises 62 feet above the sanctuary.

St. Jude the Apostle has lived out the vision of Archbishop Joseph Hurley who established the parish on December 12, 1950. He stated:

“There in the intersection of two of St. Petersburg’s great traffic arteries a greater St. Jude’s will stand as a lighthouse of the Faith, showing forth to the thousands who pass by, the truth, the love, and the goodness of God.”

Bishop Gregory Parkes Will Celebrate Mass for the 75^th Anniversary of the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle

All are invited to participate in a joyful 75^th Anniversary Mass on Sunday, October 19^th at 11:30 a.m. The Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle is the “mother church” of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, a sacred space where people from all across West Central Florida come to worship God and gather as a spiritual family. The word cathedra means chair, a reference to the bishop’s chair, a symbol of his authority to teach, govern, and sanctify the local Church entrusted to him. 

The Mass will also be livestreamed at dosp.org/livestream, Facebook.com/DioStPete, and YouTube.com/DioceseofStPete.

Caption: Cathedral of Saint Jude the Apostle.  State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.