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St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Roman Catholic)
Encyclopedia
The present Catholic St. Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh
, Northern Ireland
was built to replace the medieval Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
, which has been retained by the Church of Ireland
since the Protestant Reformation
.
It is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland.
The Cathedral stands on a hill
, as does its Anglican counterpart
, and has twin spire
s.
Some, however, have found the re-ordering out of joint with the original building: "Neither the quality of the replacements nor the skill of the craftsmanship can disguise the total alienation of the new work from the spirit and meaning that was McCarthy's ecclesiological and architectural inspiration. In this setting, these modern intrusions appear dispassionate and irrelevant" (UAHS, 1992). Architectural historian Jeanne Sheehy wrote of the re-ordering as "the replacement ... of a fine late Gothic revival chancel with chunks of granite and a tabernacle that looks like a microwave".
The cathedral was further renovated in 2002-2003, replacing the tabernacle
with the archbishop’s throne
. The renovation works also involved the restoration of a number of the brass screens removed in 1980 which were welded together to form a screen in front of McCarthy's lady chapel reredos; the laying of modern tiling to the entire sanctuary area and the addition of a new Tabernacle in the Sacred Heart Chapel designed by Ashlin and Coleman in c.1904.
Mass is said every day in the cathedral. Weekday mass is held Mondays to Saturdays at 10:00am. On Saturday evenings, there is a Vigil Mass for Sunday at 7:00pm. On Sundays, Mass is celebrated at 9:00am, 11:00am & 5:30pm. On Holydays mass is celebrated at 9:00am and 11:00am. Confessions are usually heard before and after the Saturday evening vigil mass.
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
was built to replace the medieval Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland)
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh is the seat of the Archbishop of Armagh in the Church of Ireland. It is found in Armagh, Northern Ireland.-History:...
, which has been retained by the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
since the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
.
It is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland.
The Cathedral stands on a hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
, as does its Anglican counterpart
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland)
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh is the seat of the Archbishop of Armagh in the Church of Ireland. It is found in Armagh, Northern Ireland.-History:...
, and has twin spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
s.
Re-ordering
Around 1980 changes were made to Cesare Aureli high altars, Beakey's pulpit, the rood screen, McDorey's choir stalls, and the 1875 Telford organ. The Armagh archdiocese also removed its marble high altar, tow side altars with their respective reredoses, pulpit and rails.Some, however, have found the re-ordering out of joint with the original building: "Neither the quality of the replacements nor the skill of the craftsmanship can disguise the total alienation of the new work from the spirit and meaning that was McCarthy's ecclesiological and architectural inspiration. In this setting, these modern intrusions appear dispassionate and irrelevant" (UAHS, 1992). Architectural historian Jeanne Sheehy wrote of the re-ordering as "the replacement ... of a fine late Gothic revival chancel with chunks of granite and a tabernacle that looks like a microwave".
The cathedral was further renovated in 2002-2003, replacing the tabernacle
Church tabernacle
A tabernacle is the fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is "reserved" . A less obvious container, set into the wall, is called an aumbry....
with the archbishop’s throne
Cathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
. The renovation works also involved the restoration of a number of the brass screens removed in 1980 which were welded together to form a screen in front of McCarthy's lady chapel reredos; the laying of modern tiling to the entire sanctuary area and the addition of a new Tabernacle in the Sacred Heart Chapel designed by Ashlin and Coleman in c.1904.
Mass is said every day in the cathedral. Weekday mass is held Mondays to Saturdays at 10:00am. On Saturday evenings, there is a Vigil Mass for Sunday at 7:00pm. On Sundays, Mass is celebrated at 9:00am, 11:00am & 5:30pm. On Holydays mass is celebrated at 9:00am and 11:00am. Confessions are usually heard before and after the Saturday evening vigil mass.
Burials
- William Conway (cardinal)
- John D'Alton
- Tomás Ó Fiaich
- Michael Logue
- William CrollyWilliam CrollyWilliam Crolly was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh from 1835 to 1849....
Organ
The organ of Armagh Cathedral was originally built by the renowned organ builder William Telford in 1875. In 1987, the organ was rebuilt, enlarged and tonally enhanced by the Irish Organ Company Ltd. who also provided a new terraced drawknob console. The rebuild was designed by the late John Holmes with the Cathedral Organist Baron George Minne as a consultant. All of the old pipework and casework was restored and retained. The organ now has elements of the English, French Cavaille-Coll and European style, the dominant sound being French. The organ currently has four manuals and 74 stops (including couplers and extensions).External links
- Xpressions of Armagh - an interactive galleria which comprises assorted images of Armagh architecture such as St. Patrick's Cathedral.
- St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, Armagh Encarta article
- Photographs of the Cathedral
- List of Canadian subscribers to the construction
- Church homepage