St Andrew's Cathedral, Dundee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Andrew's Cathedral
St. Andrew's Cathedral, Dundee
Front entrance
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Location	Dundee
Country	Scotland
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	standrewscathedral.co.uk
Architecture
Architect(s)	George Mathewson
Years built	1836
Administration
Diocese	Dunkeld (since 1878)
Province	St Andrews and Edinburgh

The Cathedral Church of St Andrew is a Catholic church in Dundee, Scotland. It is a special church called a cathedral. This means it is the main church for the Bishop of Dunkeld. It is also the "mother church" for the whole Diocese of Dunkeld. This diocese is part of a larger group called the Province of St Andrews and Edinburgh. Since 2014, the bishop has been Stephen Robson.

History of St. Andrew's Cathedral

The cathedral stands where an old almshouse used to be. This almshouse was a place that helped people in need. It was there until the 1500s.

Building the Cathedral

The church building was designed by George Mathewson. He was an architect from Dundee. The front of the church looks like a Victorian Gothic style building. This style was popular in the Victorian era.

The church first opened its doors on August 7, 1836. This makes it the oldest Catholic church in Dundee. It can hold about 1,000 people inside. For many years, the rooms in the basement were used as the only Catholic school in the city. The church officially became a cathedral on February 4, 1923.

Special Features of the Cathedral

The area where the main altar is located is called the presbyterium. This part was added later. Workers removed the back wall and built on top of the clergy house. Because of this, the altar area is much higher than the rest of the church. Also, the floor inside the cathedral slopes. It goes down from the entrance towards the altar.

Inside St. Andrew's Cathedral

Inside the cathedral, you will find two smaller altars. These are called side altars. One altar is for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The other is for Mary, who is the Mother of Jesus. This altar is dedicated to "Our Lady of Perpetual Help".

Like in all Catholic churches, there are pictures or statues on the walls. These show the Stations of the Cross. They tell the story of Jesus's last day. In the entrance area, called the vestibule, there is a statue. It shows Saint Andrew, who is the church's patron saint. Near the back of the cathedral is the baptistry. This is where baptisms take place. Next to it, you can see a statue that shows the Pietà. This is a famous image of Mary holding Jesus after he died.

Cathedral Services

The main Sunday church services, called Mass, happen at 11 am and 6 pm.

See also

Learn more in Spanish: Catedral de San Andrés (Dundee) para niños