Christ Church Cathedral (Vancouver) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christ Church Cathedral (Vancouver)
Christ Church Cathedral in Downtown Vancouver
49°17′03″N 123°07′13″W / 49.28417°N 123.12028°W / 49.28417; -123.12028
Location	690 Burrard Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2L1
Denomination	Anglican Church of Canada
Churchmanship	Broad church
Administration
Deanery	Burrard
Diocese	New Westminster
Province	British Columbia and Yukon

Christ Church Cathedral is a very important church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the main church for the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, which is part of the Anglican Church of Canada. This beautiful building is located at 690 Burrard Street in Downtown Vancouver, right across from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

History of Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church started as a "daughter church" of St. James' Anglican Church. The very first church service happened on December 23, 1888, but they didn't have a church building yet! It was held at 720 Granville Street.

Building the First Church

In February 1889, a group was formed to raise money for a new church. They bought land from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Henry John Cambie, a chief engineer for the CPR, helped a lot with getting the land.

By October 1889, the church's basement was ready. The first service in the new basement was held on October 6, with 52 people attending. But the church wasn't finished. By 1891, the CPR wasn't happy about the unfinished building. People even called it the "root house" because it looked like a basement for storing vegetables!

Completing the Cathedral

The church members were worried they might lose their land if they couldn't finish the building. An architect named Robert Mackay Fripp drew up plans to complete the church in 1892.

Finally, a way to get money was found. The first stone of the church was laid on July 28, 1894. The church was officially opened on February 17, 1895. It was built in the Gothic style, which means it has tall arches and pointed windows. The ceiling was made of cedar wood, and the beams and floor were made from strong Douglas fir trees.

View of Christ Church Cathedral, around the late 1930s

Changes and Upgrades

The church grew and changed over the years. In 1909, the first expansion was completed. By 1911, the church's first organ, which needed a person to pump air into it, was replaced with a new Wurlitzer organ. In 1920, electricity was added for lighting, replacing candles.

In 1929, Christ Church became the main church, or "Cathedral Church," for the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster. It took over this role from Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Westminster City.

The church wanted to build a bell tower. However, in 1943, city rules changed and limited church bells. But in November 2016, a new bell tower was finally opened! Its four bells ring every day at 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, and before church services.

In 1949, a new Casavant organ was installed. In 2004, an even newer organ was put in. This one has three keyboards and 2500 pipes! Many of these pipes were saved from the older Casavant organ.

Saving the Cathedral

In 1971, some church members voted to tear down the building and build a tall tower complex instead. But many people disagreed and wanted to save the historic church. After a lot of effort, in 1976, the cathedral was officially named a "Class A Heritage building." This means it is a very important historical building that must be protected. From 1995, an eleven-year project began to restore and renew the cathedral.

Christ Church Cathedral is also the Regimental Church for the Seaforth Highlanders. It is becoming the Regimental Church for the BC Regiment, Duke of Connaught's Own, too.

Worship and Services

View of the cathedral altar from the main part of the cathedral

At Christ Church Cathedral, services like Holy Communion are held. They use different prayer books, including the Book of Common Prayer and the Book of Alternative Services. Sometimes the service is simple and spoken, and other times it includes singing with hymns, choir music, and instruments.

The music played during worship can be very old, like plainsong, or more modern. Rupert Lang, a musician at the cathedral, writes many sacred songs that are often performed there first.

Different clergy members take turns giving sermons, which are talks during the service. Sometimes, special guest speakers are invited. Famous guests have included a former Archbishop of Canterbury and the environmental scientist David Suzuki. The royal family also attends services here when they visit Vancouver.

In May 2014, the cathedral started a new community called St. Brigid's. This group is part of the Emerging Church movement, which explores new ways of being church while staying true to Anglican traditions.

Deans of New Westminster

The "Dean of New Westminster" used to be based at Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Westminster. But in 1929, this role moved to Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver. Here is a list of the deans since 1929:

Symbols and Meanings

The cathedral has special symbols that tell stories about its history and beliefs.

Celtic Cross

You can see the Celtic cross both inside and outside the cathedral. This cross represents the church's roots in the British Isles, where the Anglican Church began.

First Nations Art

There is also a spindle whorl and three salmon designed in the style of the Coast Salish Nation. These symbols honor the First People of Canada, who were the original inhabitants of the west coast.

Christ the King

In the center of some designs, you'll find the Greek letters Chi (X) and Rho (P). These are the first two letters of "Christus Rex," which means "Christ the King" in Latin.

Cathedral Motto

The motto of the cathedral is "I hold before you an open door." This comes from a Bible verse (Revelation 3:8). It was also the title of the very first sermon preached in the cathedral by Reverend H. B. Hobson on December 23, 1888.

See also

• List of cathedrals in Canada
• List of heritage buildings in Vancouver