Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Holy Sepulchre |
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| St Sepulchre's | |
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Māori: Te Mīhana Māori o Tāmaki Makaurau
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Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in 2022
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| 36°51′53″S 174°45′46″E / 36.864843°S 174.7628507441338°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Founder(s) | Bishop William Cowie |
| Relics held | Te Take ki Oihi Crozier |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | E. Mahoney and Son |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1880–1881 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Kauri Timber |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Sepulchre’s |
| Archdiocese | Aotearoa |
| Diocese | Te Tai Tokerau |
| Province | Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia |
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (also known as Māori: Te Ana Tapu or St Sepulchre's) is a very old Anglican church in Auckland, New Zealand. You can find it on Khyber Pass Road, close to the city centre. This church and its wider complex are also called Māori: Te Mīhana Māori o Tāmaki Makaurau, which means the Māori Anglican Mission in Auckland.
The church was built in 1880. It has played a big part in the history of the Anglican Church in Auckland. First, it was a main church for the local area. Later, it became the home of the Māori Anglican Mission. The church's separate hall was once a temporary church for St Paul's Church. Today, this hall is a marae called Tātai Hono.
When it was first built, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre had the tallest steeple in Auckland. It still looks beautiful and is an important landmark. Heritage New Zealand listed it as a special historic building (Category I) in 2006. The church is still a very important place for spiritual, cultural, and social gatherings. It welcomes everyone in a Tikanga Māori Anglican way.
Discovering the Church's Past
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has a rich and interesting history. It started with a smaller chapel and grew into the important landmark we see today.
Early Beginnings: A Chapel in the Cemetery
The very first St Sepulchre's was a small chapel. It was built in the Anglican part of the Symonds Street Cemetery. Bishop Selwyn opened this chapel on August 27, 1865. Reverend Benjamin Dudley was in charge of the area at that time.
Growing Needs: A New Church for Auckland
By 1870, a new church area, called a parish, was created. It served the western part of Auckland, including the city's main prison and hospital. As Auckland grew, there was a need for a bigger church. So, in 1879, a new spot was bought on a hill in Grafton.
Building the New Church: A Tall Landmark
The first Bishop of Auckland, William Cowie, laid the foundation stone in 1880. The church was designed by Edward Mahoney from the firm E. Mahoney and Son. This company was known for designing Gothic Revival buildings made of wood.
The new timber church was finished in 1881. It was built in a great spot south of the city centre. It had the tallest steeple in Auckland! Inside, it had beautiful wooden details and could seat 680 people. It also had a bell and lovely stained glass windows. Bishop Cowie officially opened the new church on June 29, 1881.
The Church Hall: A Place for Learning and Worship
In 1898, a timber hall was moved to the Holy Sepulchre site. This hall had been built in 1885 as a temporary place for worship and a school for Auckland's first church, St Paul's. After some changes, like adding classrooms and a small kitchen, Bishop Cowie also opened this building. It became home to a Sunday School with 325 children!
In the 1930s, a special small chapel, called a Lady Chapel, was added to the main church building.
A New Purpose: The Māori Anglican Mission
In October 1963, the original church parish officially closed. This happened because the area changed to 'light industrial' and many people moved to the suburbs after World War II. The church complex was then taken over by the Auckland City Mission.
In 1969, the church was given a new dedication. It became Te Mīhana Māori o Tāmaki Makaurau, which is the Auckland Anglican Māori Mission. This change happened because many Māori people were moving from rural areas to cities in the 1950s and 1960s. Reverend Kingi Ihaka oversaw this new mission.
In 1990, the church, hall, and vicarage (the priest's house) were given to Te Komiti Tumuaki. This is the Māori part of the Diocese of Auckland.
Restoration and Cultural Significance
In the early 2000s, the main church building was fully restored. This big project cost $480,000. The steeple was even re-covered with donated copper.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was also used as a filming location. It appeared in Te Tangata Whai Rawa o Weniti (The Māori Merchant of Venice). This was New Zealand's first full-length Māori language feature film, made in 2001.
On July 4, 2009, the church hall was renovated and rededicated as a marae. It was named Tātai Hono, which means ‘bound together’. The renovations included new entrance carvings (called whakairo) by Bernard Makoare. There were also community woven panels (called tukutuku) and paintings by Theresa Reihana.
Most recently, on May 28, 2023, Reverend Shona Pink-Martin became the new Māori Missioner for Te Mīhana Māori o Tāmaki Makaurau.
Images for kids
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St Sepulchre's in the Anglican section of the Symonds Street Cemetery, around 1865.
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The north and west sides of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 1910.
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Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Khyber Pass Road, 2009.
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Lady Chapel stained glass window, created in 2004. It shows a wahine (woman) wearing a korowai (cloak) with a pounamu (greenstone) cross. She holds Te Paipera Tapu (the Māori Bible).
