• Bishop Paul Bigandet’s work for a new Cathedral
For some time before his death, (Vicar Apostolic of Burma, 1856-1894) had been giving serious thought to the necessity of providing a place for worship for the ever increasing number of his flock in Rangoon. The old Cathedral had become too small. That the new structure should take the form of a metropolitan Cathedral of considerable size and of the best architectural design was the opinion of both clergy and laity. A suitable piece of land measuring over fifteen acres east of St. Paul’s High School was found and Bishop submitted an application to the Government of Burma, asking permission to sell, as a freehold, the site of the old Cathedral, with a view to the proceeds being entirely applied towards the expenditure of erecting the new Cathedral. The concession of the land applied for was, in the Chief Commissioner’s opinion, excessive, but he was prepared to recommend that the Government should sanction the grant of so much of the remaining portion “on either side of St. Paul’s school as is at the disposal of the Government: viz., about five acres, as a site for a Roman Catholic Cathedral and subsidiary buildings, provided that the site of the present Cathedral is relinquished to the Government.” It was in No. 372, Bo Aung Kyaw Street, which was known as Spark Street and in Japanese time was Zeyar Street. The Bishop in his reply pointed out that his plea to sell the site of the old Cathedral was based on similar concessions made by the Government, only a few years previously, to other Christian communities. It was, of course, for the Government to decide whether the Catholic community should be treated with equal liberality. In any case, the act would be one of grace, and not one which any community could claim as a right. Two months later, on 23 January 1893, the Bishop was informed that the Government of India sanctioned the proposal to sell the site of the Cathedral in Barr Street (at Present Mahar Bandula Street) and to appropriate the proceeds for the erection of a new one. Just prior to the commencement of his project, Bishop Bigandet was called to his Heavenly Home. Since Bishop Bigandet lived in Creek Street (at Present Bo Myat Tun Street), from lower Pazundaung Street to Thein Byu Street (at Present Anawrahta Street) was known as Bigandet Street. At Present Bishop Bigandets’ wooden House has been changed into “Queen Park Hotel.”

• Construction of a new Cathedral
• Bishop’s Alex Cardot and a new Cathedral
Bishop Paul Bigandet was succeeded by Bishop Alelx Cardot (Vicar Apostolic, 1893-1925). A deed of grant was executed and signed by the Secretary to the Commissioner of the Revenue Department and by Bishop Cardot. No time was lost in commencing the foundations of the future edifice. Under the supervision of Mr.H.Hoyne-Fox, consulting architect to the Burmese Government, plans for a Cathedral of the Byzantine model were drawn up. These plans provided for the erection of a fine dome over the junction of the nave, choir and transepts. As the first efforts to sink the foundation resulted in the discovery of a marshy and yielding substratum. (The subsequent alterations made by F.Janzen) It was decided to drive down into the substratum a series of pyinkado piles, eighteen feet long and three feet in girth as a basis upon which to build. This tedious work was started in June, 1895, and concluded on 1st January, 1899. While these important changes were in progress, Bishop Cardot, at the urgent advice of his doctors, was compelled to go to France. Mr. Hoyne-Fox was proceeding on long leave, and there was no one to replace him in carrying on the work of supervisor and consulting architect. The Bishop, therefore, was asked to search in Europe for an architect.

• Fr. Hendrick Janzen and Bishop Cardot
Among the students assembled for the Ordination, one was noticeable for his pallid and worn aspect and emaciated figure. Bishop Cardot enquired as to his identity and learned that Rev. Janzen (30 Sep. 1858 – 1 Aug. 1911) has been sent home on account of this suffering from tuberculosis two years previously. And at that time he was, by permission, presenting himself for Ordination to the priesthood, but he could never be sent out to the foreign missions as his case had been pronounced incurable. Father Janen had studied in the “Ecole Polytechnique” under Dr. Cuypers, and eminenet Dutch architect, who had desingned the State Museum at Asterdam as well as most of the churches built in Holland during the last century. Dr. Cuypers was the originator of a style of architecture since termed “Style Necessaire.” Father Janzen had collaborated with Dr. Cuyper’s son, himself an architect, in the erection of the Amsterdam Museum. Bishop Cardot prevailed upon the Superiors of the Society of French Foreign Missions at Paris to allow Father Janzen to accompany him back to Rangoon. Father Janzen went to his native Holland to consult his old classmate, Dr. Cuypers, Jr. who prepared a new plan for a French Catholic Cathedral in the “Style Necessaire”. In November, 1898, Bishop Cardot and Father Janzen arrived at Rangoon.

• Fr. Hendrick Janzen and a New Cathedral
To dept. the existing foundation to the new plan, Father Janzen at once set about to extend the first plan. The altered structure was to be thirty feet longer and capable of seating 1,500 people. Thus the size of the Cathedral was 291 ft. in length and 101 ft. in breadth. As a basis for the chancel and apse a layer of sand nine feet in depth was substituted for pyinkado piles while an additional hundred of the latter were driven down to strengthen and support the rest. The corner stone of white marble was solemnly blessed and laid by Bishop Cardot on Sunday, November 19, 1899. Father Janzen found only bricks and cement, an army of untrained collies and a few Chinese maistries. The secret of F. Janzen’s excellent construction lay in his close and constant supervision and in his indomitable patience and perseverance. Never tired of training and directing his subordinates, he simplified their labor by providing them with wooden rules, frames, and other devices to render their operations more mechanical and exact. By the aid of reinforced concrete and wooden moulds, he fabricated tiles and decorative blocks of every description. Many of them he bored through to make them lighter and to save material in such a way, however as to interfere in no way with their strength and solidity. The towers had no sooner been completed than they sank two feet under their own weight, causing serious cracks in the groined roofing of the aisles and in the triforium of the nave. Father Janzen sawed through the connection between the towers and the rest of the edifice from top to bottom so as not to damage the main structure. The sinking slowly continued, so much so that Father Janzen abandoned the idea of adding spires. Fortunately the sinking stopped for more than a year and Father Janzen began the work of constructing the spires, 86 feet above the towers. On August 11, 1907, he slipped on a plank and fractured his thigh in three places. Father Janzen came out of the hospital permanently crippled. Thanks however, to the intelligent supervision of the Chinese maistry. Ah Yen, who for the preceding eight years had been his principal assistant, the work of construction continued. The Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Coadjutor Archbishop of Sydney had this to say in the “Catholic Press of Sydney”, of the Cathedral and Father Janzen: “The Cathedral at Rangoon, now almost complete in the exterior outline, is a work of genius. It has twin spires rising from its façade, and so setting their surmounting crossed as to draw the visitor’s attention…Father Janzen lives hidden away in his single room in the ground floor having but the plainest technical apparatus restricted to very scanty funds, and quite uncertain as to the future. For many months he has been deprived of the consolation of celebrating Mass, on account of a fractured limb, which no longer serves for standing at the altar. Yet, the Cathedral works and keeps going; designs are forth coming as required by each detail of workmanship; expedients for overcoming difficulties and for accommodating disarrangements are invented; and many cruxes, which have nonplussed professional skill in Burma, have been successfully dealt with by the wonderful spirit that dwells in the dying and broken body of this devoted priest.” This construction of the cathedral took 17 years from 1893 to 1910. The new Cathedral was solemnly blessed on 21st November 1909, and consecrated and dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception on 22nd February 1911. The names of the chief donors were written on it, and it was signed by Rev. Fr. P. St. Guily. Five months later after the dedication, on 1 August 1911, Father Janzen died and was interred at the entrance to the nave of the Cathedral. A plain inlaid marble slab indicated the spot written “I love the Lord, your family, the place of your Glory” could have been chosen to lay him to rest than within the walls of that magnificent edifice. And yet by an irony of fate, he lies there forgotten by the hundreds of Catholics who flock almost daily to the Cathedral, whilst only some of the visitors, mindful that he is in a place of worship and desirous of seeing the architectural beauties of the interior, stands in hushed and respectful silence at the foot of the grave and pays his genius at least the passing tribute of a sigh.

• A new Cathedral and sad disasters The earthquake of May 5, 1930 wrought havoc in the city. The Cathedral behaved splendidly under the shock it received. Only two interior vaults came down and others showed a few cracks. Two arches next to the towers were badly cracked but in a few months repairs were completed. The Cathedral well withstood the Japanese bombings of 1941-42 but the Allied bombing of December 14, 1944, blew all the beautiful stained glasses to smithereens. They were redone with the ordinary local-made glasses. On 2 May 2008, again the Cathedral glasses were strongly hit and damaged by the Nargis cyclone. This time tarpaulin sheets were used to fix the broken glasses, but this does not match the beauty and dignity of the Cathedral. It would cost a fortune to have them replaced. e. The Cathedral and Charles Cardinal Bo Bishop Charles Bo was appointed Archbishop of Charles Bo on 24th May, 2003 and installed on 7th June, 2003. Archbishop Charles Bo was not only experienced as Bishop of Lashio, Bishop of Pathein and Apostolic Administer of Archdiocese of Mandalay but also being wise and farsighted person, he decided to renovate the whole Cathedral for the celebration of Centenary. With the help of the Thai Architect Expects he could manage to fix back all the Stain Glass from 1st September, 2009 till 2nd October, 2010. He also renovated the inside and outside of the Cathedral in time for the celebration and 8th December, 2011 we could celebrated the Centenary of the Cathedral Solemnly presided by the representative of the Holy Father from Vatican His Eminence Renato Cardinal Rento Raffaele Martino together with all the Bishops, Archbishops of Myanmar, Priests, Religious and all the faithful. Archbishop Charles Bo was Chosen as the first Cardinal of Myanmar on 4th January, 2015 and installed on 14th February, 2015 at Vatican. During the First visit of Myanmar from 27th to 30th November, 2017, Holy Father Pope Francis official the Holy Mass for the young people of all the Diocesan Representative at St. Mary Cathedral on 30th November. At the antique record of the city, St. Mary’s was in No. 79. The Bishops/Archbishops who have served for the Archdiocese of Yangon,
Bishop Paul Ambrose Bigandet (Vicar Apostolic of Burma).
Date of Birth - 13.08.1813 (France)
Date of Priestly Ordination - 18.02.1837
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 31.03.1856
Serving in Burma - 1856 t0 1894
Date of Death - 19.03.1894 (at Yangon)
Bishop Alexander Cardox (Vicar Apostolic of lower Burma).
Date of Birth -
Date of Priestly Ordination -
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 24.06.1893
Serving in Burma - 1893 to 1925
Date of Death - 18.10.1925 (at Mawlamyine)
Bishop Felix Perroy (Vicar Apostolic of lower Burma).
Date of Birth -
Date of Priestly Ordination -
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 1921
Serving in Burma - 1921 to 1931
Date of Death - 10.04.1931
Bishop Dr. Federico Giuseppe Provost, M.E.P. (Vicar Apostolic of Yangon).
Date of Birth -
Date of Priestly Ordination -
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 21.11.1929
Serving in Burma - 1929 to 1952
Date of Death - 27.09.1952
Archbishop Dr. Victor Bazin, M.E.P (Vicar Apostolic of Yangon)
Date of Birth -
Date of Priestly Ordination -
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 18.10.1953
Serving in Burma - 01.01.1955 to 19.06.1971
Date of Death -
Archbishop Gabriel Thohay Mahn Gaby
Date of Birth - 19.09.1927
Date of Priestly Ordination - 21.12.1951
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 02.02.1965
Service for Yangon Archdiocese - 1965 to 2002
Date of Death - 05.05.2016

Bishop Raymond Saw Po Ray (Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon)
Date of Birth - 11.08.1948
Date of Priestly Ordination - 13.04.1975
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 08.12.1987
Service for Yangon Archdiocese - 08.12.1987 to 22.03.1993
At Present Bishop of Mawlamyine.
Bishop Sotero Phamo (Apostolic Administer of Yangon Arch Diocese)
Date of Birth - 23.11.1943
Date of Priestly Ordination - 18.03.1972
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 22.02.1989
Service for Yangon Archdiocese - 28.09.2002 to 24.05.2003
At Present Bishop Emeritus of Loikaw Diocese.
Charles Cardinal Bo (Archbishop of Yangon)
Date of Birth - 29.10.1948
Date of Priestly Ordination - 09.04.1976
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 16.12.1990 (at Lashio)
Service in other Dioceses as Bishop - Bishop of Lashio
• Bishop of Pathein
Apostolic Administer of Mandalay Archdiocese
Appointed Archbishop - 24.05.2003
Installed Archbishop - 07.06.2003
Appointed Cardinal - 04.01.2015
Installed Cardinal - 14.02.2015
Bishop Justine Saw Min Thide (Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon.)
Date of Birth - 25.03.1951
Date of Priestly Ordination - 09.03.1984
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 02.12.2007
Service in Yangon Archdiocese - 02.12.2007 to 02.12.2009
At Present – Bishop of Hpa-An
Bishop John Saw Yaw Han (Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon.)
Date of Birth - 05.05.1968
Date of Priestly Ordination - 18.03.1995
Date of Episcopal Ordination - 12.04.2015
Service in Yangon Archdiocese - 12.04.2015 on ward -
The Priests who had served as Parish Priest in St. Mary’s Cathedral,
Rev. Fr. G Verine
Service in Cathedral - 1908 to 1915
Rev. Fr. J. Cassinger
Service in Cathedral - 1915 to 1931
Rev. Fr. P. St. Guily
Service in Cathedral - 1915 to 1937
Rev. Fr. P. Roy
Service in Cathedral - 1937 to 1957
Date of Death - 12.06.1957 at St. Theresa’s Ahlone.
These Parish Priests were considered from the Baptismal and Marriage Registers and may not be exact.
Msgr. Joseph Fernandez.
Date of Birth - 24.04.1915
Date of Priestly Ordination - 21.11.1941
Service in St. Mary - 1949 to 1974
Date of Death - 19.07.2011
Msgr. Joseph Danniel
Date of Birth - 11.09.1923
Date of Priestly Ordination - 06.04.1972
Service in St. Mary Cathedral - 1974 to 1975
Date of Death - 07.04.2016
Msgr. Bruno Sein Win
Date of Birth - 23.09.1929
Date of Priestly Ordination - 15.01.1931
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 1975 to 1976
Date of Death - 27.02.2002
Rev. Fr. Cyril Myat
Date of Birth - 06.05.1914
Date of Priestly Ordination - 21.12.1939
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 1976 to 1989
Date of Death - 04.02.1987
Rev. Fr. Edwin David
Date of Birth - 24.10.1944
Date of Priestly Ordination - 11.03.1972
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 1989 to 1994
Date of Death - 05.09.2008
Msgr. Ephrem Saw Po Paing
Date of Birth - 03.09.1946
Date of Priestly Ordination - 01.03.1973
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 1994 to 2003
Date of Death - 24.01.2013
Msgr. Saw David
Date of Birth - 07.02.1953
Date of Priestly Ordination - 19.03.1983
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 2003 to 2007
At Present - Retired
Msgr. Gordon Anthony
Date of Birth - 19.01.1934
Date of Priestly Ordination - 19.03.1986
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 2007 to 2011
Rev. Fr. Dominic Thet Tin
Date of Birth - 30.06.1963
Date of Priestly Ordination - 04.04.1993
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 09.02.2011 to 07.04.2018
Rev. Fr. Joseph Maung Win
Date of Birth - 28.03.1953
Date of Priestly Ordination - 19.03.1981
Service in St. Mary’s Cathedral - 07.04.2018 on ward.