St. Christopher's Cathedral, Manuka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Christopher’s Cathedral |
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| The Cathedral of St Christopher | |
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 St Christopher’s Cathedral
Location in Australian Capital Territory
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| 35°19′08″S 149°07′58″E / 35.31896°S 149.13271°E | |
| Location | 55 Franklin Street, Forrest/Manuka, Australian Capital Territory |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Christopher's Church |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded |
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| Founder(s) |
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| Dedication | Saint Christopher |
| Consecrated | 5 February 1948 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | ACT Heritage Register |
| Designated | 1998 |
| Architect(s) |
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| Architectural type | Spanish Romanesque |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | c. 1,000 worshippers |
| Other dimensions | Organ: Hill, Norman & Beard |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Central Deanery |
| Archdiocese | Canberra and Goulburn |
St Christopher's Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral of St Christopher, is a very important church for Roman Catholics in Australia. It's the main church where the Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn leads services.
This beautiful cathedral is located in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. You can find it in the suburb of Forrest, which is part of the local area called Manuka.
Contents
History of St Christopher's Cathedral
Early Beginnings and First Church
The story of St Christopher's began in 1862 when the Diocese of Goulburn was formed. The first priest, Father Patrick Haydon, started building St Christopher's as Canberra's first parish church. Before this, the local Catholic community was part of St Gregory's Parish in Queanbeyan.
In 1927, Archbishop Kelly laid the first stone for a new church and school. The next year, St Christopher's became its own parish. Classes began in the school next door, and the Prime Minister, Stanley Bruce, even attended the opening day! Father Patrick Haydon became the first parish priest in 1928.
Becoming a Cathedral
In 1930, there were plans for a much larger cathedral. However, tough economic times and World War II made it impossible to build. Instead, a foundation stone for the current cathedral was laid in 1938 by Archbishop Gilroy of Sydney. Important leaders like Joseph Lyons and James Scullin were there.
The church was named after Saint Christopher because Canberra was expected to be a place many travelers would visit. In 1939, the parish church officially opened. Robert Menzies, who would later become Prime Minister, was present at the opening.
Father Haydon also oversaw the building of a convent and school, which opened in 1928. The first part of St Christopher's Cathedral was finished in 1939. The Catholic community had hoped to build an even bigger cathedral on Commonwealth Avenue, but the Great Depression meant they couldn't raise enough money.
Growth and Expansion
A special event happened in 1947: the first ordination (when someone becomes a priest) took place in St Christopher's Church. The next year, in 1948, the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn was created. This meant St Christopher's became a "pro-cathedral," a church that acts like a cathedral.
Later, when Archbishop Eris O'Brien moved to Canberra, St Christopher's became a "co-cathedral" along with St Peter and St Paul in Goulburn. This meant they shared the role of being the main church.
St Christopher's was then made twice as big, able to hold about 1,000 people. This expansion, finished in 1973, kept the beautiful stained glass windows from the original church. The new design included a bell tower, a special chapel, and a crypt (an underground room). After these changes, St Christopher's officially became the main cathedral for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn.
In 2008, the cathedral was updated to celebrate 60 years of the archdiocese. Many important people have been regular churchgoers here, including three Australian Prime Ministers: Scullin, Lyons, and Frank Forde.
Cathedral Features
The cathedral has a large pipe organ built in Melbourne. It was installed in 1972 and has 1,100 pipes made of wood and metal. These pipes are located on either side of the beautiful rose window.
In 1998, St Christopher's Cathedral was added to the ACT Heritage Register. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
Archbishops Eris O'Brien and Thomas Cahill are buried in the crypt beneath the cathedral.
Importance of St Christopher's
St Christopher's Cathedral is a very important place for many reasons. Members of the Parliament of Australia often attend special prayers here at the start of the year.
The cathedral also hosts big national and local church services for the capital city. It's the largest church of any Christian group in Canberra, making it a key location for important religious gatherings.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Cristóbal (Camberra) para niños
- Roman Catholicism in Australia
