Sant Feliu de Llobregat Cathedral

Sant Feliu de Llobregat Cathedral (Catalan: Catedral de Sant Llorenç) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain, serving as the seat of the Diocese of Sant Feliu de Llobregat. Its dedication to Saint Lawrence (Sant Llorenç) reaches back to the 13th century and is closely tied to the history of the town.

Where does the dedication to Saint Lawrence come from?

The earliest recorded devotion to Saint Lawrence at this site appears in a will dated 1277, which instructed that the deceased be buried in a chapel under his patronage. An independent parish was only established later: its foundation was formally approved on 19 March 1524. Before that date, the area of present-day Sant Feliu de Llobregat had belonged to the parishes of Sant Just Desvern and Sant Joan Despí.

What happened to the earlier church?

A 19th-century church that previously stood on the site was designed by the architect Francesc Renart. It was destroyed in July 1936, at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, and only the old bell tower survived the destruction.

How was the current cathedral built?

The first stone of the new building was laid on 11 June 1939. The project was designed by architect Josep Ros i Ros in a neo-medieval style with Byzantine influences. The church was consecrated in 1946, and the remaining works — including the chapels of Our Lady of Montserrat and the Sacred Heart — were finished in 1955. The interior decoration was carried out by Francesc Labarta, while the stained-glass windows were produced by the Bonet workshop.

What does the interior look like?

The building has three naves, a transept, a semicircular apse, and a polygonal dome rising above the crossing, topped with a skylight that brings natural light into the interior.

When and how did the church become a cathedral?

The building's cathedral status is relatively recent. On 15 June 2004, a papal bull issued by Pope John Paul II separated nine deaneries from the Archdiocese of Barcelona to create the new Diocese of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, and the parish church of Sant Llorenç was elevated to the rank of cathedral in the process. The bishop's cathedra was formally blessed on 26 May 2005 by the Bishop of Sant Feliu, Agustí Cortès. As a result, Sant Feliu de Llobregat Cathedral is one of the youngest cathedrals in Catalonia.

Where exactly is the cathedral located?

The cathedral stands in the center of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, a town in Catalonia, Spain, at geographic coordinates 41.380889, 2.046328.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which saint is the cathedral dedicated to? The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Lawrence (Catalan: Sant Llorenç); devotion to this patron at Sant Feliu de Llobregat is documented as early as a will from 1277.

Is the current building the original historic church? No. An earlier 19th-century church designed by Francesc Renart was destroyed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, with only its bell tower surviving. The present building was constructed from 1939 onward to a design by Josep Ros i Ros.

Since when has it been a cathedral rather than an ordinary parish church? The church gained cathedral status in 2004, when Pope John Paul II created the Diocese of Sant Feliu de Llobregat by separating nine deaneries from the Archdiocese of Barcelona. The cathedra itself was blessed in May 2005.

Who designed the building and its decoration? The architect of the current cathedral was Josep Ros i Ros. The interior decoration was created by Francesc Labarta, and the stained-glass windows come from the Bonet workshop.