Sveti Yosif Catholic Cathedral

Sveti Yosif (St Joseph) Catholic Cathedral is the largest Catholic church in Bulgaria, it has 350 seats and holds up to 1000 worshippers. The temple was destroyed during the WW2 bombings of Sofia and for more than 50 years the Catholic congregation held their meetings in a small improvised hall nearby. Nowadays Sveti Yosif Catholic Cathedral is an impressive new modern building that stands out with its size, clear cut lines and austerity and is undoubtedly a remarkable asset to the face of the center of Sofia. The temple is strongly community orientated and holds one of the best organs in town.

Sveti Yosif is managed by the Order of the Capuchin Little Brothers, and there is a statue of its founder St. Francis of Assisi on one side of the presbytery. The admission to the Cathedral is free from Monday to Saturday from 08.00 am to 07.00 pm (On Sundays it closes in the afternoon between 3 and 5 pm). It is possible to appoint a service in languages other than Bulgarian.

Sveti Yosif Catholic Cathedral lies about 300 m from the Synagogue, the Mosque and the Sveta Nedelya Cathedral. Together they form the famous Square of Tolerance. Most major city attractions and government buildings are nearby. There are regular public transport connections (tram and Metro) and the Central Coach Station and the Railway Station are less than /1/2 an hour on foot. Once in the area, make time to go and visit the famous Zhenski Pazar, an Oriental type open market where you can find anything - from fruit and vegetables to classic handmade earth pots and antiques.