St Alban-on-the-Moors Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Alban-on-the-Moors Church, Splott |
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| The Cardiff Oratory St Alban's Church, Splott |
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| 51°29′10″N 3°8′58″W / 51.48611°N 3.14944°W | |
| Location | Splott, Cardiff, Wales |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language(s) | English, Latin |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | active |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Dedication | Saint Alban |
| Consecrated | 16 July 1911 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed building |
| Architect(s) | F. R. Bates |
| Style | Perpendicular Gothic |
| Completed | 1911 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of floors | 2 |
| Materials | Pennant sandstone, Bath stone |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Cardiff |
| Archdiocese | Cardiff |
| Province | Cardiff |
St Alban-on-the-Moors Church, Splott, also called The Cardiff Oratory or St Alban's Church, is a Roman Catholic church. You can find it in Splott, a part of Cardiff, Wales. Since 2019, a group of priests and brothers called the Cardiff Oratory have been in charge of the church.
Contents
History of St Alban's Church
The First Church Building
The very first church building was made of iron. It was finished in 1891. Parts of this early church came from other churches in the area. When the new St Alban's building was ready, this iron church was moved. It was then rebuilt as St Joseph's Church in Gabalfa.
The Current Church Building
The church building you see today was designed by an architect named F. R. Bates. He was from Newport. The house where the priests live, called the presbytery, was built later on.
In 1997, St Alban's Church became a Grade II listed building. This means it's a special building that is protected because of its history and architecture.
The Cardiff Oratory Takes Over
In May 2019, the leader of the Catholic Church in Cardiff, the Archbishop of Cardiff, made a change. He asked the Cardiff Oratory to take care of St Alban's Church and its local area. The priests who were there before moved to other churches in Cardiff.
Since the Oratorians arrived, they have done a lot of work to fix up the church. Many more people now come to the church for services and prayers. The Oratorians have also added more Masses and special prayer times for everyone.
In June 2021, something special happened. It was the church's patron saint day, celebrating St. Alban. The Oratorians arranged for a special item, called a first-class relic, of St. Alban to be placed in the church. A relic is a very old and important item connected to a saint. The Abbot of Farnborough Abbey helped with this special event.
Church Architecture and Design
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The church is built in a style called Perpendicular Gothic. This is a type of church design that was popular a long time ago. The building uses two main types of stone: Pennant sandstone and Bath stone.
The church has unusual towers. It has a rectangular tower in the middle and another tower that is octagonal (eight-sided) at the west end. The building was finished in 1911. The new church officially opened its doors on July 16, 1911.
Church Services and Liturgy
The Oratorians at St Alban's offer different types of church services, called the Mass. They have the usual form of the Mass that most people know. They also offer an older form of the Mass, which uses more Latin.
On Sundays and special holy days, they have sung services called the Divine Office. This is a set of prayers said at different times of the day. They also have a service called the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament six days a week. On Sundays, there is a special High Mass, which is a more formal service, in both English and Latin.
