The reopening coincides with the Feast of Corpus Christi, making the occasion especially meaningful for the Catholic community.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — After months of renovations, one of the Coastal Bend’s most recognizable houses of worship is preparing to welcome parishioners back.

The Corpus Christi Cathedral will officially reopen Thursday, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and Mass beginning at 6 p.m.

The reopening coincides with the Feast of Corpus Christi, making the occasion especially meaningful for the Catholic community and for Bishop Mario Avilés, who arrived in the Diocese of Corpus Christi five months ago.

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“Everybody’s welcome tomorrow for the reopening, the consecration of the new altar, the opening and unveiling of the restoration and renovation efforts of this beautiful cathedral,” said Mark Cervantes, chancellor and general counsel for the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

Cervantes said he hopes visitors leave with “a new level of excitement and hope, optimism and a renewed sense of energy and respect and beauty” for the cathedral, local parishes and the Catholic community as a whole.

Originally constructed in 1940, the cathedral is about 85 years old. Throughout the renovation process, the team worked to preserve many of the building’s historic features while incorporating modern upgrades.

Among the elements retained are the Saint Anthony and Pietà statues, as well as much of the cathedral’s signature green marble and tile work.

“So those are certainly pieces that have been here, much of the green marbling, green tiles that you see throughout, and as I mentioned earlier we’ve tried to keep with that same theme with these new furnishings, so you see a lot of the green color scheme,” Cervantes explained.

While many historic elements remain, the project also brought significant changes to the interior.

“This is all new LED lighting, lighter paint colors, brighter flooring, the furnishings, the pews, all of that is a lighter tone and a little bit of a brighter overall concept,” he said.

Cervantes credited the project’s success to a collaborative effort involving people from both within and beyond the Diocese.

“Deacon Michael Manz, Deacon Manny Moroquin, we’ve got a construction team headed by Orlando Cepeda. Those are just to name a few, but there’s been plenty of volunteers,” he said.

The work reflected a shared commitment to the cathedral and its future.

“Everybody that was called upon in this community and outside the community have stepped up in very special ways and I think because they recognize this special place and why we do it,” Cervantes said.