Wellington Cathedral of St Paul
Wellington Cathedral of St Paul | |
---|---|
| |
Neo-Byzantine | |
Years built | 1954 – 2002 |
Specifications | |
Length | 88 metres (289 ft) |
Height | 18 metres (59 ft) |
Materials | Reinforced concrete |
Bells | 14 |
Administration | |
Province | Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia |
Diocese | Wellington |
Parish | Wellington City |
Clergy | |
Bishop(s) | Justin Duckworth |
Dean | Katie Lawrence |
Laity | |
Director of music | Michael Stewart |
The Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, also called St Paul's Cathedral or Wellington Cathedral, is an Anglican cathedral church located on Hill Street, at its junction with Molesworth Street, in Thorndon, in the city of Wellington, New Zealand. It is situated close to the parliament precinct.
The cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Wellington and the seat of the Bishop of Wellington, within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
The building was designed in the 1930s by New Zealand architect
Services
As well as being a popular attraction, St Paul's Cathedral is a working church with daily services. The cathedral, as the largest church in Wellington, also plays a role in many state occasions.[4] As of 2019[update],[needs update?] the normal services are held:[5]
- Monday–Friday: Morning Prayer, 8.15am
- Monday–Wednesday and Friday: Evening Prayer, 5.15pm
- Thursday: Choral Evensong, 5.30pm
- Sunday: Choral Eucharist and Choral Evensong, 10am and 4pm respectively
Choral services often involve the Cathedral Choir.[6] Services normally follow the New Zealand Prayer Book, or other modern printed liturgy.[7]
History
Background
The first Church of St Paul stood behind where the
As early as the 1840s preparations for a cathedral had been made and bricks were laid. However, the first project came to an end in 1855 after an earthquake hit Wellington, which highlighted the unsuitability of brick buildings in such an area.
Construction of a second church, today known as "
In 1907, the diocese acquired land for a permanent cathedral, a site close to the
Construction
Plans were revived in 1937, when it was decided to make the cathedral a project for the national centennial of 1940.
Construction of the new cathedral was delayed by the Second World War and its aftermath, and ultimately the project took about 50 years to complete. The foundation stone was laid by
In 1992, the diocesan synod decided to raise money for a third and final stage of construction.[3]: 112 The completed cathedral was dedicated on 31 May 1998 and consecrated on 15 October 2001; finally, on 24 February 2002, the Queen unveiled the consecration stone.[1]
Chapels
The wooden
A second smaller chapel space is located to the left of the entrance.[13] It is furnished plainly with a small altar.
Features
Artwork and memorials
The cathedral's
The narthex (lobby) is separated from the rest of the nave by a wall consisting of glass panels depicting figures representing angels.[14] The etchings are the work of New Zealand-born artist John Hutton. Similar work by Hutton exists in Coventry Cathedral in England.[15]
Holm Window
In 1970, the Holm Memorial Window was installed above the three doors leading to the cathedral's Loaves and Fishes Hall. It was designed by
War memorials
Although plans for a military chapel had been abandoned during construction, the cathedral authorities did allow for the installation of three sets of memorial windows in the Sanctuary—allocating two lancets each to the Army, Navy and Air Force.[17]
Fund-raising for the two Air Force windows began in September 1957.[18] Designed by the English artist Edward Liddall Armitage, these were installed in April 1962. They are dedicated to the members of the Air Force and New Zealanders who died in the service of the air forces of the Commonwealth during the Second World War.[17] The four remaining windows were designed by New Zealand artist Howard Malitte and adapted for stained-glass by Brian Thomas. Governor-General Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson unveiled the Army memorial windows on 9 August 1966.[17] They stand on either side of the organ loft, with the memorial tablet placed on the wall to the left of the Bishop's cathedra ("The two windows above this tablet were installed by serving and former members of the New Zealand Army to commemorate those who have served in the New Zealand Army at home and abroad since the foundation of our country…").[17] The naval and merchant service windows were unveiled on 22 October 1967. They were dedicated in memory of the men and women who lost their lives in the navies and merchant services of the Commonwealth during the two world wars. All six military windows incorporate a rich visual symbolism. A range of memorial flags is also housed in the bell tower.[17]
The Memorial to
Dossal
The Sanctuary is dominated by a large
Font
The wooden
Organ
In 1980, the cathedral organ was rebuilt and enlarged. It had been first installed in Old St Paul's in 1877 as a two-manual tracker action instrument blown by water pressure. The console now has four manuals, 81 stops and there are some 3,500 pipes.[22] The organ suffered "significant damage" after an earthquake in November 2016.[23]
Following the damage to the old organ, the cathedral used two temporary
Bells
The cathedral's bell tower is one of only seven in New Zealand where change ringing takes place.[24] It has 14 bells, ranging in size from Little James, weighing in at 4 long cwt (200 kg) to the People's Bell at 27+3⁄4 long cwt (1,410 kg).[25] The bells were installed in 1984; seven of the bells were already over 100 years old at the time, having been moved from a demolished church, St Edmund's in Northampton, England.[24]
Deans of St Paul
The Chapter of St Paul has had nine deans:
- 1948–1962: David Davies[3]
- 1963–1977: Walter Hurst[3]
- 1978–1985: James Thomas[3]
- 1985–2002: Michael Brown[3]
- 2003–2004: Douglas Sparks[26][27]
- 2004–2012: Frank Nelson[28] (afterwards Dean of Adelaide, 2012)
- 2012–2018: Digby Wilkinson[29]
- 2018–2021: David Rowe[30][31]
- 2023–present: Katie Lawrence[32]
Gallery
-
Main entrance of the cathedral off Hill Street.
-
Front/side of cathedral. Molesworth Street is on the right-hand side.
-
Rear/side view of cathedral. A secondary entrance is near the bell tower.
-
One of the grotesques that adorn the outside of the building, cast in concrete by Wellington sculptor J. A. McCready
-
The nave. The font is placed in the centre.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bradwell, Judy. "Wellington Cathedral of St Paul: The Building of the Cathedral". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- Stuff.co.nz.
- ^ ISBN 9780864734280.
- ^ "Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington". Anglican Diocese of Wellington. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Service times". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
- ^ "Choral Evensong". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
- ^ "Wellington Cathedral – Mystery Worshipper Report – Colinspics". Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "Old St Paul's". www.heritage.org.nz. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
- ^ a b "The Cathedral". The Evening Post. 9 July 1923. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Memorial Cathedral". The New Zealand Herald. No. 16594. 18 July 1917. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Lady Chapel". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Wellington Region". Jumpstartzero.co.nz. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ^ "Chapel without walls". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Cathedral tour". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-214-20081-6.
- ^ "Holm Memorial Window". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Ringer, Bruce (2016). "Wellington Cathedral of St Paul memorials". NZ History. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "Memorial to Air Force Dead". Auckland Star. 14 September 1957.
- ^ "Memorial to Chunuk Bair". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Dossal". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "Font". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Organs". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- Stuff.co.nz.
- ^ a b "Bell ringers". Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Dove Details". dove.cccbr.org.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Douglas Everett Sparks, Ministerial Experience" (PDF). Episcopalelections.com. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ^ "Dean quits Wellington Cathedral to return to US", The New Zealand Herald, 8 June 2004, (Retrieved 9 February 2013)
- ^ "Saint Paul's Cathedral, Wellington". Wellingtoncathedral.org.nz. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ "The Very Reverend Digby Wilkinson, Parish of Tawa-Linden". Movementonline.org.nz. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ "Wellington appoints new Dean". www.anglicantaonga.org.nz. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ "News from David and Pixie Rowe". www.anglicanmovement.nz. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "New Dean Installed Wellington Cathedral of St Paul". anglicanmovement.org.nz. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
External links
Media related to Wellington Cathedral of St Paul at Wikimedia Commons
- Wellington Cathedral of St Paul – official website
- Old St Paul's – New Zealand Heritage website for the second church