St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew
Cathair-eaglais Naomh Anndra
Location	Aberdeen
Country	Scotland
Denomination	Scottish Episcopal Church
History
Dedication	St Andrew
Administration
Diocese	Aberdeen & Orkney

St Andrew's Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, is a special church in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. It belongs to the Scottish Episcopal Church. This cathedral is where the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney has their main church. In Scottish Gaelic, its name is Cathair-eaglais Naomh Anndra.

History of St Andrew's Cathedral

The First American Bishop

This church is famous because it's where the very first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, Samuel Seabury, was made a bishop. This important event happened in 1784. It took place in a room in the home of John Skinner, who was the leader of the St. Andrew's church group at that time. This house was about 500 meters from where the cathedral stands today.

Building the Cathedral

The original church building was designed by a famous architect named Archibald Simpson. He used a style called perpendicular Gothic. Most of the cathedral was built using local granite, which Aberdeen is famous for. However, the front part of the building, facing King Street, was made from sandstone. This was done to save money, even though the architect didn't agree with it.

The church first opened in 1817 and was called St Andrew's Chapel. It became a full cathedral in 1914.

Renovations and Changes

In the 1930s, the cathedral was updated to celebrate 150 years since Bishop Seabury became a bishop. There was a big plan to build a much larger cathedral. This new church was meant to be a gift from the Episcopal Church in the United States. But the Wall Street Crash in 1929 caused a big economic problem, and there wasn't enough money for the new building.

Instead, the existing church was made bigger and more beautiful by Sir Ninian Comper. A special ceremony was held to dedicate the renovated church. The U.S. ambassador to the UK at the time, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., attended this event.

Changes in Worship Style

For many years, until the late 1970s and early 1980s, the cathedral followed a traditional style of worship. However, in 1982, the leader of the cathedral, Very Revd Donald Howard, announced a change. He decided to move the large crucifix and some candles from the main altar. This allowed the priest to face the people during the service, rather than having their back to the congregation. Since then, the worship style has become more open, while still keeping the formal feel of a cathedral.

Financial Challenges and Closure

In April 2020, officials from the church shared that they were facing money problems. They worried that the cathedral might not be able to open again after the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, Bishop Anne Dyer and the cathedral leaders announced that the building would temporarily close starting in September 2020. This was due to issues with the building's structure itself.

Organ and Organists

The Cathedral Organ

The Cathedral has excellent sound quality, which is called a splendid acoustic. It is home to one of the best pipe organs in Scotland. This organ has three keyboards, making it a very powerful instrument.

Famous Organists

Many talented musicians have served as Organists and Masters of the Choristers at St Andrew's Cathedral, including:

• George Trash
• John Cullen
• Richard Galloway
• Frederick ("Bill") Fea
• David McGinnigle
• Geoffrey Pearce (1978 - 1983)
• Professor Andrew Morrisson (1983 - 2020)
• Christopher Cromar (2020–Present)