Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sacred Heart Cathedral |
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| Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and St Mary his Mother | |
Wellington, Hill St
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 Sacred Heart Cathedral
Location in New Zealand Wellington
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| 41°16′36″S 174°46′34″E / 41.2766°S 174.7762°E | |
| Location | Thorndon, Wellington Central City |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Mary's Cathedral |
| Founded | 1851, 1901 |
| Founder(s) | Philippe Viard, 1st Bishop of Wellington (St Mary's Cathedral, 1851); Francis Redwood, 2nd Bishop and 1st Archbishop of Wellington (Sacred Heart Cathedral, 1901) |
| Dedication | 1851, 1901 |
| Consecrated | 18 March 1984 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Category I (2 April 1985) |
| Architect(s) | Francis Petre |
| Architectural type | Cathedral |
| Style | Palladian Revival |
| Completed | 1901 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Oamaru stone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish |
| Archdiocese | Wellington |
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and of Saint Mary His Mother, often called Sacred Heart Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic church in Wellington, New Zealand. It is the main church for the Thorndon Catholic area and the official home of the Archbishop of Wellington. The New Zealand Parliament is very close to the cathedral.
The church was once known as "the Basilica" because of its Palladian style. In 1984, it became a cathedral after being made stronger against earthquakes. New parts were also added, like a chapel and a large public space. For many years, the Marist Fathers looked after the church. Now, Archbishop Paul Martin, who is also a Marist, leads the church.
Since July 2018, the main cathedral building has been closed for earthquake strengthening. Services are held in the cathedral chapel or at another nearby church. The work is expected to finish, and the building reopen, in 2024.
Contents
Church Services
The church holds regular services called Mass.
- Weekdays: 8:00 AM and 12:10 PM
- Saturday: 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM (for Sunday)
- Sunday: 10:30 AM (with choir) and 7:00 PM
Every year, around December 8th, a special Mass is held. This service renews a promise made in 1855 to protect Wellington from earthquakes.
History and Design
The first church on this site was St Mary's Cathedral, built in 1851. It was made of wood and had a Gothic style. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in 1898.
After the fire, a new church was planned. It was called the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Its foundation stone was laid in 1899, and it opened two years later. This new church was very grand. It officially became a cathedral in 1984. In 1985, it was listed as an important Historic Place.
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The cathedral is mostly built from Oamaru limestone with brick details. It was designed by architect Francis Petre. The building looks like an ancient Roman or Greek temple. It has a grand entrance with Ionic columns. The main entrance has three sets of doors. The middle doors lead directly into the church.
Above the entrance, there's a Latin message: S.S. Cordi Jesu Dedicatum. A.D. MCMI. This means "Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A.D. 1901."
Inside, the cathedral has a main aisle and two side aisles. It features a large arched main area called a nave. The walls have many arches. To make the building stronger against earthquakes, concrete and steel were added in 1983. A new chapel, entrance area, and a large public square were also added in 1984.
The cathedral once had two bell towers with domes. These were removed in 1942 after an earthquake.
Special Features
Sacred Heart Art
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The main area of the church, called the sanctuary, has a large painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This painting is above the archbishop's special chair, called the cathedra. There is also a large carved stone emblem of the Sacred Heart above the sanctuary.
Pulpit
The beautiful pulpit, where sermons are given, is still used today. It was added in 1908 to remember Father W J Lewis, the first priest of the new Basilica. The names of all the bishops and archbishops of Wellington are now written on the pulpit's panels.
Bishop Viard Memorial
Near the South Aisle, there are three memorial plaques for Bishop Viard. He was the first Bishop of Wellington and died in 1872. He is buried in the cathedral. His tomb is near the baptismal font. Father Jean Baptist Petitjean, another early priest, is also remembered here.
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is a smaller area where about 60 people can worship. It has five beautiful stained glass windows from England, made in 1885. These windows show different saints, like St Patrick and St Peter. There is also a modern icon of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St Mary.
In the chapel's west wall, there's a small space called an ambry. This is where the holy oils are kept. The ambry has a special door that was once part of the tabernacle from the old St Mary's Cathedral.
Statue of Mary
In the courtyard, there is a two-meter tall cast-iron statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This statue was made in France. It was placed on the tower of the original St Mary's Cathedral in 1867. It was meant to honor the Immaculate Conception and protect the city from earthquakes.
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During the 1898 fire, the statue fell about 80 feet from the tower. Amazingly, it was found with only minor damage. Some people said it seemed to float down slowly and land upright. In 1984, the statue was placed in the courtyard. It remains a symbol of Mary's protection over the city.
Other Sculptures
Inside the cathedral entrance, you can see small statues of the Four Evangelists. Near the sanctuary, there is a statue of St Brigid. The sanctuary also has a bronze processional cross designed for the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1986. Below the Stations of the Cross, there are fourteen bronze sculptures called Mater Dolorosa. These show Mary's sadness as she watched her son, Jesus, on his journey to the Cross.
Māori Treasures (Taonga)
The cathedral holds special treasures from Catholic Māori. These include a 2-metre-high (6.6 ft) carved stone called a kohatu whakairo (thinking stone) inside the entrance. There is also a pou (carved wooden pole) in the square outside. These gifts were carved by Lou Kereopa and installed in 1989.
The kohatu whakairo has several layers. The base shows the strong foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. Above this, panels show important parts of faith, like the seven sacraments and the Ten Commandments. Another layer shows four figures representing different stages of Christian faith. These figures support the world, over which the church shines Christ's light. The stone is topped with a globe, a crown of thorns, and a cross, symbolizing suffering, sacrifice, and the hope of the gospel.
Music at the Cathedral
Choirs and Organ
Sacred Heart Cathedral has a strong tradition of music. There are groups that lead singing during Mass.
Before the cathedral closed for strengthening, it had two traditional choirs. The main cathedral choir was made up of trained singers. They sang at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass and at special events. They performed a wide range of music, from old Gregorian chant to modern pieces.
There was also a boys' choir, with about 15 boys from the nearby Sacred Heart Cathedral School. They received music lessons and sometimes sang at Mass.
The Cathedral Grand Organ was built in 1905. It was located in the choir loft.
The cathedral was also a popular place for concerts because of its size and good sound quality.
When the cathedral closed in 2018, the organ was removed for rebuilding. The choirs continued for a while in other places but stopped in March 2021. The music program will be reviewed when the cathedral reopens.
Important Ceremonies
The cathedral choir has played a big part in important ceremonies.
In 1930, the choir sang at the funeral of Sir Joseph Ward, who was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand. He had prayed daily in the Basilica for many years. The funeral Mass was a very important event.
In 1940, the choir also sang at the funeral of Michael Joseph Savage, the 23rd Prime Minister. This funeral was broadcast across the country. The choir, which included many boys, sang from high up in the church because so many people were there.
Another special occasion for the choir was in 1934. They sang for the 60th anniversary of Archbishop Redwood becoming a bishop. The choir of fifty voices performed special music for the Mass.
Strengthening Work
Sacred Heart Cathedral closed on July 13, 2018. This was because it was not strong enough to be safe in an earthquake. The building needed to be strengthened to meet modern safety standards. The work is expected to be finished in 2024. The altar from St Gerard's Church and Monastery was given to Sacred Heart Cathedral to become its new main altar.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral del Sagrado Corazón (Wellington) para niños
- St Mary's Cathedral, Wellington
- Francis Petre and Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington
- Sacred Heart Cathedral School, Thorndon
- St Mary's College, Wellington
- Sisters of Mercy
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington
- St Gerard's Church and Monastery
- St Joseph's Church, Mt Victoria
- St Mary of the Angels, Wellington
- Catholic Church in New Zealand
- Holy Cross College, New Zealand
- Holy Name Seminary
- List of basilicas in New Zealand
