Cathedral of Our Lady of Fatima
During the political repressions in the Soviet Union between 1930 and 1938, thousands of Catholics – Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, Lithuanians – were exiled to Kazakhstan, including the Karaganda region. Despite the harsh new conditions, they held on to their faith. For many years, however, worshippers were forced to gather in secret.
In time, the Catholic community received its first official church: the Basilica of St. Joseph in Maikuduk. For more than three decades, it remained the spiritual center for Karaganda’s Catholics.
Yet the community longed for something greater. That dream came true in 2012, when the Cathedral of Our Lady of Fatima was consecrated. Today, it’s the largest Catholic church in Central Asia. 
Why Fatima?
The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who appeared to three children in the Portuguese town of Fatima in 1917. During these apparitions, Mary revealed three “secrets”: a vision of hell, a prophecy of the end of World War I and the coming of World War II, and a prediction of the persecution of the Church in the 20th century, including the death of a “bishop in white.”
Fittingly, the land for the cathedral was purchased on May 13, 2003 – the day commemorating the Fatima apparitions.
From Cologne to Karaganda
The new cathedral in Karaganda was modeled after Germany’s Cologne Cathedral. Both share the Gothic style: soaring spires, pointed arches, and stained glass windows.
The façade of the Karaganda cathedral, crowned with twin spire towers, is a clear homage to its German prototype. Naturally, its scale cannot rival the majesty of Cologne, yet the same aspiration is visible: to unite grandeur with lightness in stone and glass.
In 2003, the grounds for the future cathedral, along with its cornerstone, were consecrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State of the Vatican. Nine years later, on September 9, 2012, Cardinal Sodano returned to Karaganda to lead the cathedral’s consecration.
Kazakhstan’s Largest Organ
The pride of the cathedral is its organ – the largest in Kazakhstan. Crafted by the Austrian firm Pflüger Orgelbau, it stands on the balcony above the main entrance.
This instrument is more than a part of liturgy. The cathedral has become a concert venue, regularly hosting performances by musicians from Kazakhstan and abroad. Entry is open to all, regardless of faith, and the concert schedule is posted on Instagram: @organ_krg. The season runs from April to September, with one to two concerts each month. Admission is always free.
The concerts are so popular that seats often run out. Listeners fill the aisles, content simply to stand, just to hear the power of a live organ resonate within the walls of Karaganda’s cathedral.
How to get there?
The nearest bus stop is “12 Months Store” (“12 Mesyatsev”). You can reach it by taking buses No. 5, 19, 43, 49, 53, 56, 70, or 141.
Other tourist attractions near the cathedral:
- Victory Park
- Ethnopark
- Anet Baba Central Mosque
- Karaganda Arena
Gallery
Recommended tours:
All offers
On request
This journey will take you to the gems of Central Kazakhstan, including Karkaraly National Park, the Bronze Age Kent settlement, Scythian burial mounds, and the remnants of the ancient Buddhist temple known as Kent Palace.
_420x650_4ab.jpg "CIP Lounge at Karaganda Airport")
Escape the busy airport environment. Book the CIP lounge access at the Karaganda Airport online. This service is available to passengers traveling on domestic and international flights.