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| Fr. Ezakias Antony Swamy, CMF |
Fr. Ezakias has completed his two years of service in St. Teresa's Church is appointed the Assistant Parish Priest in Rosary Church at Tsim Sha Tsui. On his return after two months of vacation in India, he moved to his new parish on 19 October. We wish him the very best and God's blessings in abundance in his new parish.
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| Rosary Church, Tsim Sha Tsui |
Rosary Church in Tsim Sha Tsui was built in 1905. This is the oldest Catholic Church on the Kowloon Peninsula. The history of the Church traces back to the time of the Boxer Uprising in 1900, when Great Britain had mobilized several regiments of army to Hong Kong to be stationed in Kowloon.
Hence, a Mass centre was opened in the premises of the Canossian Missionaries to serve the needs of the Catholic military and lay people. As Tsim Sha Tsui district expanded and the population increased, a small Church which could accommodate 800 people, was built in 1901. But soon it became obvious that the small Church could not meet the local needs as the expatriates – especially the Portuguese community - living in Tsim Sha Tsui had greatly increased. Thus, Rosary Church was rebuilt on 8th May 1905.
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| Interior of the Church |
Over the years, many improvements have been made to the original structure . In preparation for the centenary celebration, large-scale renovation and improvement works, as well as refurbishment of the Parish hall, were undertaken and completed in 2003. The architecture of Rosary Church is in classic Gothic style with the original floor plan based on a Roman Basilica model.
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| Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Rosary Church |
In 1950 with the addition of the nave, the floor plan appeared as a Latin crucifix, a long nave passing through the baptismal font leading to the semi-circle sanctuary. The Monuments and Antiquities Board has classified Rosary Church as a Class B heritage building as recognition for its architectural uniqueness.
