Cardiff Cathedral
Encyclopedia
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.
The current building was designed by Pugin and Pugin Architects
and constructed 1884-87. 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.
The Cathedral was destroyed by World War II
bombing in March 1941 when incendiary bombs
pierced the roof. During the 1950's it was restored and rebuilt, under the supervision of F. R. Bates, Son, and Price and was re-opened in March 1959.
, where liturgical items including prayer books, candles and statues of catholic saints can be purchased.
Holy Days:
The Boy Choristers and Girl Choristers of Wales's National Roman Catholic Cathedral - the Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral of St David - are educated at the Choir School St John’s College, located in Old St Mellons
, 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, on special feast days and at Christmas and Easter.
The Cathedral Choirs give two concerts in St David’s Hall each year, and also performs further afield, in some of the most beautiful venues in Western Europe. Recent trips have included performances at Nôtre Dame in Paris, in Bruges, Denmark, and at the splendid Gothic Cathedral in Amiens.
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 & girl Cathedral Choristers appeared and sang in the 'Christmas Special' of BBC’s Doctor Who with David Tennant, Bernard Cribbins & Claire Bloom. The episode was aired 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 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 and in concert. The choirs can be heard in live broadcasts, on BBC Radio 4
, and BBC Radio Wales
, and extracts from their recordings can be downloaded from their website. http://www.cardiffcathedralchoir.org
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
cathedral in the city centre
Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively...
of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
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.
History
Following the arrival of 12,000 Catholics fleeing famine in Ireland in the 1840s and more immigration thereafter, a Catholic church was built in Cardiff. 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. 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.The current building was designed by Pugin and Pugin Architects
Pugin & Pugin
Pugin & Pugin was a London-based family firm of ecclesiastical architects, founded in the Westminster office of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin . The firm was succeeded by his sons Cuthbert Welby Pugin and Peter Paul Pugin after the death of their elder brother, Edward Welby Pugin...
and constructed 1884-87. 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.
The Cathedral was destroyed by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bombing in March 1941 when incendiary bombs
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
pierced the roof. During the 1950's it was restored and rebuilt, under the supervision of F. R. Bates, Son, and Price and was re-opened in March 1959.
Modern day
Adjoining the cathedral is the Cardiff branch of the Catholic Truth SocietyCatholic Truth Society
Catholic Truth Society is a body that prints and publishes Catholic literature, including apologetics but also prayerbooks, spiritual reading, lives of saints and so forth...
, 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. As well as Canon Collins the Cathedral is the residence of the Rev. Fr. Raymond O'Shea.Services
Sunday Masses:- 17:30 (Sat)
- 11:00
- 17:30
Holy Days:
- 17:15 (Vigil Mass)
- 11:00
- 12:30
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.The Boy Choristers and Girl Choristers of Wales's National Roman Catholic Cathedral - the Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral of St David - are educated at the Choir School St John’s College, located in Old St Mellons
St Mellons
St Mellons is a district and suburb of eastern Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.-History:St Mellons began as a small commercial centre in the historic county of Monmouthshire, relying heavily on rural agriculture, farming and travel...
, 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, on special feast days and at Christmas and Easter.
The Cathedral Choirs give two concerts in St David’s Hall each year, and also performs further afield, in some of the most beautiful venues in Western Europe. Recent trips have included performances at Nôtre Dame in Paris, in Bruges, Denmark, and at the splendid Gothic Cathedral in Amiens.
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 & girl Cathedral Choristers appeared and sang in the 'Christmas Special' of BBC’s Doctor Who with David Tennant, Bernard Cribbins & Claire Bloom. The episode was aired 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
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
(The Netherlands). 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 and in concert. The choirs can be heard in live broadcasts, on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, and BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales is the BBC's national radio station broadcasting to Wales in the English language. Operated by BBC Wales, it began broadcasting on 12 November 1978 following the demise of the old "Radio 4 Wales" when BBC Radio 4 became a national network and moved from medium wave to long wave...
, and extracts from their recordings can be downloaded from their website. http://www.cardiffcathedralchoir.org