St Mary's Church, Belfast facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Mary's Church
Saint Mary's Church, Belfast (Chapel Lane)
St Mary's Church, Belfast
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Location	Belfast, County Antrim
Country	Northern Ireland
Denomination	Catholic
Architecture
Architect(s)	John O'Neill
Architectural type	Romanesque architecture
Years built	1782-1784
Administration
Diocese	Down and Connor
Province	Armagh

St. Mary's Church (Irish: Naoimh Eaglais Mhuire) is a special Catholic church in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It opened in May 1784. This makes it the oldest Catholic church in Belfast. Back then, it was the only Catholic church in the town. This was after some old laws against Catholics were made less strict. The church also has a small grotto, which is a cave-like area, dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.

The Story of St. Mary's Church

In 1782, about 365 Catholic people lived in Belfast. People from other churches, like the Church of Ireland and Presbyterians, helped raise money. They donated funds to build St. Mary's Church. This showed a good spirit of cooperation.

The very first church service, called Mass, happened on May 30, 1784. Father Hugh O’Donnell led it. He was the first priest for the church. During the opening, a group called the Irish Volunteers helped. They lined up outside and walked Father O'Donnell into the church.

In 1813, a special stand called a pulpit was given to the church. It was a gift from Canon Turner, a leader from another church. This showed the friendly ties between different religious groups. Later, in 1815, the first St. Patrick's Church opened. This was needed because more and more Catholic people were moving to Belfast.

After the Great Famine, Belfast's Catholic population grew even more. St. Mary's Church became too small. So, an architect named John O'Neill was hired. His job was to design a bigger church.

Rebuilding in 1868

John O’Neill was first asked to improve the old church. But his design was so different that it meant almost completely rebuilding the church. The new church was built closer to the street. A smaller house from the 1700s was taken down to make space.

The new design included a special red brick front. It also added five new sections and a porch. A tall tower, 90 feet high, was also built. These changes made the church look very different and grander.

Changes in the 1900s

In the late 1930s, the church had more renovation work. This included a new staircase and special rooms for confessions. A new room for the priests, called a sacristy, was also added. All this work was done by Padraig Gregory, an architect from Belfast. The 90-foot tower from 1868 was removed at this time.

The church was planned to reopen in May 1941. However, the Belfast Blitz happened just days before. This was a series of bombings in Belfast. Because of this, the reopening had to be cancelled. A new stone was placed over the doorway. It showed the years 1783, 1868, and 1941.

In 1954, a special grotto for Our Lady of Lourdes was built. This was in the gardens around the church. Padraig Gregory also designed this grotto.

To celebrate the church's 200th birthday in 1983, the main altar area was updated. An artist named Roy Carroll did some work with timber furniture. However, much of this furniture was later removed.

From May to August 2017, the church had major renovation work. This was to fix the roof and walls. The grotto area was also repaved.

St. Mary's Church Today

For nearly 40 years, priests from the Mill Hill Fathers served the church. The last of them left in 2019. The current main priest is Father Timothy Bartlett. Other retired priests also help him.

The church holds two services, called Masses, every day from Sunday to Monday. On Friday and Saturday, there are three Masses each day. The 6 PM Mass on both Friday and Saturday is celebrated in the Irish language.

Images for kids

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  St Mary's Church, Belfast