鹽水天主堂成立於1955年，首任本堂為德國籍方濟會修士胡國臨神父，1956至1959年，胡神父建成信徒望教專用聖堂70餘坪，神父於1964年車禍離世，聖堂木構建體在白蟻蛀蝕下，亦於1983年連地基一併拆除，改建為今日中國宮殿樣式。

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Yanshui Catholic Church was founded in 1955 by the German Franciscan priest, Father Hu. From 1956 to 1959, Father Hu built a 230-square meter sanctuary dedicated to the congregation of the Visitation of the Faithful, but when he died in a car accident in 1964, the wooden structure of the sanctuary was demolished in 1983, along with the foundation, and converted into the present-day Chinese palace.