St. Mary of the Isle Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of St Mary of the Isle |
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St Mary's Cathedral, Douglas Isle Man
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 Cathedral of St Mary of the Isle
Location in Isle of Man
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| 54°09′02″N 4°28′57″W / 54.150655°N 4.482393°W | |
| Location | Hill Street, Douglas, Isle of Man. |
| Country | Isle of Man |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Dedication | Saint Mary & Saint Joseph |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1857 |
| Completed | 1859 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1,000 (approximate) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Liverpool |
| Province | Province of Liverpool |
The St Mary of the Isle Cathedral is a special Roman Catholic church in Douglas, Isle of Man. People also call it the Cathedral of St Mary of the Isle. It is one of two cathedrals on the island. It is also one of six Catholic churches there. Locals often call it St. Mary's. In September 2023, it became a co-cathedral. This means it shares its cathedral status with another church.
Contents
History of St Mary's Cathedral
Before a big change called the Reformation, the church on the Isle of Man was independent. It was known as the Diocese of Sodor and Man. After the Reformation, it became part of the Church of England. This church has its own Bishop and its own cathedral. That cathedral is the Cathedral Church of Saint German in Peel.
The Catholic Cathedral on the island, built after the Reformation, is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. This archdiocese covers a large area.
The first Catholic church built after the Reformation was by Father Miles McPharlan. He worked there from 1803 to 1820. The land for this church was given by Lieutenant Colonel John Taubman Goldie-Taubman. He was the Speaker of the House of Keys.
Father Matthew Gahan took over in 1820. He came from Dublin. In 1826, he opened the church of St. Mary in Castletown. Castletown was the capital of the Isle of Man at that time.
By the 1850s, Douglas was growing much faster than Castletown. It became clear that a bigger church was needed. This new church would be in the center of Douglas.
Building the Cathedral
Father Gahan worked very hard to collect the money needed. The first stone of St. Mary's was laid on October 28, 1857. This was done by Dr. Alexander Goss, who was the Bishop of Liverpool.
Opening and Special Status
The church opened for people to worship on August 4, 1859.
Douglas became a city in June 2022. This was part of the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. After Douglas became a city, Pope Francis gave St Mary of the Isle church a special status. On September 22, 2023, it officially became a cathedral.
This church is now a co-cathedral. It shares this title with the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. It is the first Catholic co-cathedral in the British Isles.
Co-cathedrals are not very common in the Catholic Church. They usually happen when two church areas (dioceses) join together. Or they can happen when one church area covers two different government areas.
St Mary's Today
Today, St. Mary's is still an important part of the local community. It is a Registered Building. This means it is a special historic building. The cathedral is located where Hill Street and Prospect Hill meet. It is across from Tynwald, which is the Isle of Man's parliament.
The Archbishop of Liverpool and other bishops often visit the cathedral. It is a place where new priests are ordained. It is also where people receive the sacrament of Confirmation.
St Mary of the Isle is often used for important community events. These include the Isle of Man Government Christmas Carol Service. It also hosts the yearly Holocaust Memorial Service. Important people attend these events. This includes the Chief Minister and his team. The Island's Lieutenant Governor and other leaders also attend. The cathedral's organ is over 100 years old. It was fixed up in 2006 by Peter Jones.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María de la Isla para niños
- Catholic Church in the Isle of Man
- Archdiocese of Liverpool
- Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
