St Peter's Church, Edinburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church |
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| 55°55′50″N 3°12′22″W / 55.9305°N 3.2062°W | |
| Location | Morningside, Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | St Peter's Parish, Edinburgh |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founder(s) | Canon John Gray Marc-André Raffalovitch |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Events | Nave extended 1928-9 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed |
| Designated | 14 December 1970 |
| Architect(s) | Sir Robert Lorimer |
| Style | Italianate |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | St Giles |
| Archdiocese | St Andrews and Edinburgh |
| Province | St Andrews and Edinburgh |
St Peter's Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Church in the Morningside area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is part of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.
The church building was designed by a famous architect named Sir Robert Lorimer. It was built between 1906 and 1907. Later, the main part of the church, called the nave, was made bigger from 1928 to 1929. You can find St Peter's Church at the corner of Falcon Avenue and Falcon Gardens. It is considered a very important historical building, listed as a Category A building.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
How the Church Started
St Peter's Church was founded by two important people: Canon John Gray and Marc-André Raffalovitch. In 1901, John Gray decided to become a Catholic priest. He had been a librarian before this.
While he was working at another church in Edinburgh, St Patrick's, Canon Gray and his friend Marc-André Raffalovitch planned to build St Peter's. Marc-André Raffalovitch helped pay for the new church.
Building the Church
People in Morningside needed a new church for their community. So, on March 31, 1905, Archbishop James Smith asked Father Gray to lead the new St Peter's parish.
Father Gray then asked Robert Lorimer to design the church in 1905. Robert Lorimer was a well-known architect who also designed other churches. Construction of St Peter's Church began in 1906. The church officially opened its doors on April 25, 1907.
In 1927, Robert Lorimer was given the title of 'Sir' for his work. The very next year, in 1928, work started to make the nave (the main part of the church where people sit) larger. Sir Robert Lorimer was in charge of this project too. The extension was finished in 1929.
Changes Over Time
After some important changes in the Catholic Church, known as the Second Vatican Council, some of the church's original furniture was removed. This furniture had also been designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. For example, the metal railings around the altar (the table where services are held) were taken away. The marble altar itself was also mostly removed.
About the Parish
The church holds one Sunday Mass at 11:30 AM. During the week, from Monday to Friday, there are usually Masses or special prayer services at 9 AM.
Since 2017, Catholic parishes in Edinburgh have been grouped together. This helps them share resources and work better as a team. St Peter's Church is part of a group of four parishes. The other churches in this group are St Columba's, Sacred Heart, and St Mark's.
