Sacred Heart, Edinburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sacred Heart Church |
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| Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Edinburgh | |
Entrance of the church on Lauriston Street
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| OS grid reference | NT2498173105 |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | http://sacredheartedinburgh.org/ |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 31 July 1859 |
| Founder(s) | Bishop James Gillis |
| Dedication | Sacred Heart of Jesus |
| Dedicated | 1990 |
| Consecrated | 8 July 1860 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Category A |
| Designated | 14 December 1970 |
| Architect(s) | Richard Vaughan SJ |
| Style | Neo-classical |
| Groundbreaking | 1859 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | City of Edinburgh |
| Archdiocese | St Andrews and Edinburgh |
| Province | St Andrews and Edinburgh |
The Sacred Heart Church in Edinburgh, also known as the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is a Roman Catholic church. It is run by a group of priests called the Society of Jesus, often known as the Jesuits. This church is located near the city centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the United Kingdom. You can find it in an area called Lauriston, between the Grassmarket and Tollcross. It sits right on the edge of Edinburgh’s old historic town. The church building first opened its doors in 1860. It is a very important historical building, listed as a Category A listed building. This means it is protected because of its special history and architecture.
Contents
History of the Sacred Heart Church
How the Church Began
The idea for Sacred Heart Church started with Bishop James Gillis. He was a leader in the Catholic Church in eastern Scotland. Bishop Gillis invited the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) to come to Edinburgh. He wanted them to start a new church parish close to the city centre.
The person who designed the church was a Jesuit priest named Father Richard Vaughan. He was also the uncle of a famous Jesuit speaker and writer, Bernard Vaughan.
While the main church was being built, people attended Mass in a temporary chapel. This chapel was located on Hunter's Close in the Grassmarket area. The very first Mass there was on July 31, 1859. It was led by Father Albany James Christie, a Jesuit priest. The first Mass in the brand new Sacred Heart Church happened on July 8, 1860. Bishop Gillis gave a speech at this special Mass. Father Thomas Seed, who was the head of the Jesuits at the time, led the service.
Changes Over the Years
Over many years, the church has been updated and repaired several times. In 1907, a large organ was put into the church. This organ was later changed in 1963 and again in 1974.
In 1957, a beautiful painting was added above the altar inside the church. It was designed by Derek Clarke. He was a teacher at the Edinburgh School of Art. From 1963 to 1990, more changes were made to the church. These updates helped the church fit the new rules from a big meeting called Vatican II. During these changes, the mural was covered up with wallpaper. Later, in 1996, the church's main support beams were made stronger. In 1998, the wall facing north was also repaired.
The Church Community
The Jesuit priests live right next door to the Sacred Heart Church. They also help out at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. This is a large hospital in the city. The church holds Mass every day of the week. They also have a special prayer time called the Rosary every weekday lunchtime. For many years, the church community worked with the Little Sisters of the Poor. This group ran a care home for older people nearby until it closed in 2018.
Since 2017, Catholic churches in Edinburgh have been grouped together. This helps them work better and share their resources. Sacred Heart Church is part of Cluster 4. The other churches in this group are St Columba's, St Peter's, and St Mark's.
Edinburgh Jesuit Centre
Right next to the church is the Edinburgh Jesuit Centre. It used to be called the Lauriston Centre. This centre was created to be a place where the Jesuits in Edinburgh could share ideas. They focus on topics like spirituality, fairness in society, and learning more about faith.
The centre often hosts talks about the spiritual teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola. He was the founder of the Jesuits. They also feature talks by modern Jesuit writers and thinkers. Important speakers like Michael L. Fitzgerald have given talks there. He spoke about how Christians and Muslims can get along. The centre has also won awards for its work to help the environment. They do this through a series of talks and events.
On November 30, 2020, which is St Andrew's Day, the centre was officially renamed the Edinburgh Jesuit Centre. This happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. It started hosting new talks about current issues and the Catholic Church. The first talk was by Sir Tom Devine. He spoke about how Scottish Catholics have become more equal in society since 1945. Other talks during the pandemic were very popular. You can find recordings of these talks on the EJC website.
More to Explore
- Jesuit places in the United Kingdom
- Catholic churches in the UK
- Ignatian spirituality
