Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral

"Cardiff Cathedral" redirects here. For the Anglican cathedral in Cardiff, see Llandaff Cathedral.
Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral
Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral of St David
Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral
Shown within Cardiff
Coordinates: 51°28′51″N 3°10′26″W / 51.48095°N 3.17402°W / 51.48095; -3.17402
OS grid reference 318569, 176430
Location Cardiff
Country Wales
Denomination Roman Catholic
Website cardiffmetropolitan cathedral.org.uk
History
Consecrated 1842
Architecture
Years built 1839–1842
Specifications
Number of spires 1
Administration
Archdiocese Cardiff
Province Cardiff
Clergy
Archbishop George Stack
Dean Peter Gwilym Collins
Laity
Director of music David Neville

The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St David, also known as St David's Cathedral Cardiff is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales and is the centre of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff. Located in Charles Street, the Cathedral remains the focal point for Catholic life in Cardiff, and the country as a whole. It is one of only three Roman Catholic Cathedrals in the UK which is associated with a choir school.[1]

History

Front entrance

The original church was built at a cost of £2,124 in 1842, after fundraising in Wales and Ireland and a donation by Lady Catherine Eyre of Bath.[2] The church was located on David Street, Cardiff and was dedicated to the patron saint of Wales, St David, at the request of Lady Eyre.[2]

The current building was designed by Pugin and Pugin Architects and constructed 1884–87.[3] It was Cardiff's principal Catholic church, and it became seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff in 1916. In 1920 it was declared the Cathedral Church of the new Archdiocese of Cardiff.[2]

The Cathedral was destroyed by World War II bombing in March 1941 when incendiary bombs pierced the roof.[2] During the 1950s it was restored and rebuilt, under the supervision of F. R. Bates, Son, and Price and was re-opened in March 1959.[3]

Cathedral Music

The Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral has three choirs. The Boys' Choir was established in 1959, and in recent years two more choirs have been formed: The Junior Girls' Choir and The Senior Girls' Choir.[4]

The cathedral boy choristers and girl choristers are educated at the Choir School in St John's College, Cardiff. During term, the boy choristers sing with adult male voices on Sunday mornings and at 5pm Vespers on Tuesdays, and at a small number of additional services. The Junior Girls Cathedral Choir sings Benediction at the cathedral on Wednesdays, and the Senior Girls Cathedral Choir join the Boys Cathedral Choir on special feast days, at concerts as well as at Christmas and Easter.[4]

The choirs have travelled around western Europe to perform in concert. In February 2011, the Cathedral Choir travelled to Paris to perform concerts at the Madeleine and at Nôtre Dame Cathedral (to an audience of more than 1000 people). In 2009, the boy and girl cathedral choristers appeared and sang in the 'Christmas Special' of BBC's Doctor Who. The episode was aired in Christmas 2009, and was David Tennant's last. In Autumn 2006, the choir undertook a choral exchange project with the Choir of St Bavo's in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The choirs can be heard in live broadcasts, on BBC Radio 4, and BBC Radio Wales.[4]

Parish

Adjoining the cathedral is the Cardiff branch of the Catholic Truth Society, where liturgical items including prayer books, candles and statues of Catholic saints can be purchased.

Priests

The Dean (Administrator) of the Cathedral is the Very Rev. Canon Peter Collins.

Services

Sunday Masses:

Holy Days:

References

  1. ↑ Friends of Cathedral Music retrieved 29 March 2014
  2. 1 2 3 4 Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral website 'HISTORY'. Retrieved 2012-8-9.
  3. 1 2 R.C.A.H.M.W. St David's Roman Catholic Cathedral Church, 2C Charles Street, Cardiff retrieved 28 November 2011
  4. 1 2 3 Choir from Cardiff Cathedral retrieved 29 March 2014

External links

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