| Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford | |
| The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Waterford | |
|---|---|
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Website | www.christchurchwaterford.com |
| History | |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | John Roberts |
| Style | Georgian |
| Groundbreaking | 1773 |
| Completed | 1779 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Cashel and Ossory |
| Province | Province of Dublin |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Bishop of Cashel and Ossory |
| Dean | The Very Revd T.R. Lester |
| Precentor | Dean of Lismore |
| Archdeacon | The Venerable J.G. Murray |
| Laity | |
| Organist/Director of music | E.J. Sweeney |
Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Waterford City, Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.
Previously the cathedral of the Diocese of Waterford, it is now one of six cathedrals in the United Dioceses of Cashel and Ossory.
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The first church on the site was built in the 11th century. This was replaced in 1210 by a Gothic Cathedral. Following the Irish Reformation, a new body was established by decree of the Irish Parliament to became the State Church in the Kingdom of Ireland. The Church of Ireland, as it was named, assumed possession of most church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to the Latin liturgy of Roman Catholicism, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. Since Christ Church Cathedral was taken over in this way, Roman Catholic adherents were consequently obliged to worship elsewhere. By 2011, some Anglicans were able to acknowledge that
"The forced alienation of sacred places from one community to another leaves lasting scars"[1]
In the 18th century, the city corporation recommended that the bishop erect a new building. The architect was John Roberts, who was responsible for much of Georgian Waterford.[2]
During the demolition of the old cathedral, a series of medieval vestments were discovered in 1773. They were presented by the then Anglican bishop, the Rt Revd Richard Chenevix, to his Roman Catholic counterpart, the Most Revd Peter Creagh, and are now kept in the Museum of Treasures in Waterford and the National Museum in Dublin.[3]
The present building has been described by architectural historian Mark Girouard as the finest 18th century ecclesiastical building in Ireland.[2]
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