About St Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral · El Cajon, California
St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral is a Chaldean Catholic cathedral located in El Cajon, California, serving as the mother church (cathedra) and administrative seat of the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle, which covers 19 westernmost U.S. states. Established as a parish on December 6, 1973 to minister to the growing Chaldean-Assyrian diaspora in San Diego County, the current Byzantine Revival church building was completed and dedicated on September 10, 1983, and it became a cathedral in 2002 when Pope John Paul II erected the eparchy. The parish is a leading center of Chaldean liturgical life in the Western United States, with Masses celebrated in Chaldean, Arabic, and English and a 24/7 adoration chapel.
- Established
- 1973
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Christopher Somo (Rector)
- Diocese
- Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego (Chaldean Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Peter Chaldean Cathedral is the spiritual home of Chaldean-Assyrian Catholics in the Western United States and the seat of the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle, so parishioners worship in the heart of a living East Syriac liturgical tradition while still having access to English- and Arabic-language Masses that welcome non-Chaldean spouses, in-laws, and seekers. With a 24/7 adoration chapel, daily Mass, and a multilingual schedule (Chaldean, Arabic, English), the cathedral offers both deep devotional life and practical accessibility for Iraqi, Syriac, and American congregants. Its outreach — including a 2014 fundraiser that raised $650,000 with the Mar Toma Council (Knights of Columbus) for Christians displaced from Mosul and the Nineveh Plains — shows a parish actively engaged in preserving its ancient Christian heritage while serving refugees and the local El Cajon community.
Mass times at St Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Available at all daily and weekend Masses
Adoration times
- 24/7 Chapel (perpetual adoration in the adoration chapel)
History & Heritage
St. Peter Chaldean Catholic parish was founded on December 6, 1973 to serve the Chaldean-Assyrian Catholic faithful who had settled in greater San Diego. Father Peter Kattoula served as its founding pastor. The community worshiped in earlier, more modest quarters before constructing the current Byzantine Revival church, which was completed and dedicated on September 10, 1983. A parish hall followed in 1989. The parish was elevated to cathedral status in 2002 when Pope John Paul II erected the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego and appointed Father Sarhad Yawsip Jammo as its first bishop; Bishop Jammo was installed at the cathedral on July 25, 2002. Bishop Emanuel Shaleta succeeded him on August 29, 2017.
- Parish founded: December 6, 1973
- First pastor: Father Peter Kattoula
- Current church dedicated: September 10, 1983
- Church hall opened: November 29, 1989
- Erected as cathedral: 2002
- First eparchial bishop: Sarhad Yawsip Jammo (installed July 25, 2002)
- Current bishop: Emanuel Shaleta (installed August 29, 2017)
Clergy & Staff
The cathedral is served by a rector and parochial vicar, with additional priests assigned by the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle. The rector and parochial vicar oversee daily liturgical life, faith formation, and parish administration, while the eparchial bishop (Bishop Emanuel Shaleta) shepherds the wider 19-state jurisdiction from offices on the same campus.
- Rector: Rev. Fr. Christopher Somo
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Fr. Daniel Shaba
- Rector & Youth Minister (per clergy page): Rev. Fr. Yousif Jazrawi
- Rector of Mar Abba the Great Seminary / Vicar for Clergy / Director of Religious Education: Rev. Fr. Andrew Younan
- Eparchial Bishop: Bishop Emanuel Shaleta
- Bishop Emeritus: Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo
Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle
The cathedral is the seat of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, an Eastern Catholic jurisdiction erected by Pope John Paul II on May 21, 2002 and immediately subject to the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. It serves Chaldean and Assyrian Catholics across 19 westernmost U.S. states — Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming — through three vicariates (South, North, and East).
- Established: May 21, 2002
- Carved from: Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle of Detroit
- Territory: 19 western U.S. states
- Vicariates: South, North, East
- First bishop: Sarhad Yawsip Jammo
- Second bishop: Emanuel Shaleta
Community Outreach & Mar Toma Council
The cathedral partners with the Mar Toma Council of the Knights of Columbus on community initiatives and fundraising. In 2014 the partnership raised $650,000 to support Christian refugees displaced by conflicts in Mosul and the Nineveh Plains, with relief efforts extending to displaced families in Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon.
- Mar Toma Council (Knights of Columbus)
- 2014 fundraiser for Mosul and Nineveh Plains Christian refugees: $650,000
- Outreach to displaced Christians in Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education across the eparchy is coordinated by the Director of Religious Education (Rev. Fr. Andrew Younan), and youth ministry at the cathedral is coordinated by a designated priest. The parish's multilingual setting (Chaldean, Arabic, and English) allows faith formation to be carried out in the language of the family while preserving the East Syriac liturgical and catechetical tradition.
- Eparchial Director of Religious Education: Rev. Fr. Andrew Younan
- Youth Ministry at the cathedral
- Catechesis in Chaldean, Arabic, and English
Safe Environment & Child Protection
The Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle has implemented Safe Environment programs at all of its parishes, schools, and administrative offices since the U.S. Catholic Church's 2002 directive, and reviews compliance yearly. Reports of suspected abuse may be made in English, Chaldean, or Arabic through the Victim Assistance Coordinator.
- Safe Environment programs at every parish, school, and office
- Annual compliance review
- Reports accepted in English, Chaldean, or Arabic
Visiting the Cathedral
The cathedral office is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and the campus is located at 1627 Jamacha Way, El Cajon, CA 92019. Visitors and pilgrims are welcome at any scheduled Mass and may pray in the 24/7 adoration chapel. As the seat of the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle and the largest Chaldean Catholic cathedral in the Western United States, it is also a focal point for Chaldean-Assyrian cultural and religious heritage in San Diego County.
- Office hours: Monday–Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM
- Address: 1627 Jamacha Way, El Cajon, CA 92019
- Cathedral Office: 619-579-7913
- Eparchy Office: 619-579-7997
- Email: [email protected]
- 24/7 Adoration Chapel open to the public
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Peter Kattoula1973 (founding)
First pastor of St. Peter Chaldean Catholic parish.