Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok

Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok
Front of the church
Basic information
Location	23 Oriental Avenue, New Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Archdiocese of Bangkok
Country	Thailand
Leadership	Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit
Website	Official website of Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok

Coordinates: 13°43′23″N 100°30′54″E / 13.723059°N 100.514924°E / 13.723059; 100.514924

The Assumption Cathedral (Thai: อาสนวิหารอัสสัมชัญ) is the principal Roman Catholic church of Thailand, located within the grounds of Assumption College (Thailand) at 23 Oriental Avenue, New Road, in the Bang Rak district of Bangkok. It is the main church of the Archdiocese of Bangkok. It was visited by Pope John Paul II during his trip to Thailand in 1984.

The Renaissance style building is the Cathedral of the Archbishop and of the Archdiocese of Bangkok.

The Latin term "Assumpta est Maria in Caelum" ("the assumption of Mary into heaven") is inscribed in the arch of the ceiling in the middle of the Cathedral.

The history of the Cathedral date back to the year 1820 when Bishop Florens was the head of the “Siam Mission”. A piece of land was purchased to build a church in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, paid for by donations. A traditional Thai-style church was completed for the Catholic community in that area in the year 1821, and given the name “Assumption Church”. After the completion of the church, the office of the bishop was built nearby and in the following year, the church was named “The Assumption Cathedral”, the Cathedral of the Bishop of the Bangkok Diocese. Since then, the Assumption Cathedral has continuously been the permanent residence of all the bishops of the Bangkok Diocese.