Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family
The Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family
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Location	London, W1K 5BQ United Kingdom
Denomination	Ukrainian Greek Catholic
History
Consecrated	1968
Architecture
Architect(s)	Alfred Waterhouse
Style	Romanesque Revival
Years built	1889–1891
Specifications
Capacity	900
Administration
Province	Eparchy of the Holy Family

The Cathedral of the Holy Family is a very important church in London, England. It is the main church for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community in the UK. This means it is where the leader, or bishop, of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in London has his main office. The church is named after the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) during their journey to Egypt. You can find it on Duke Street, close to Oxford Street, in the Mayfair area of London. The church is open for worship every day.

History of the Cathedral Building

The building where the Cathedral of the Holy Family stands was designed by a famous architect named Alfred Waterhouse. He finished designing it in 1891. It was originally built for a different church group called the Congregational King's Weigh House.

The church building is made of red bricks with special decorative parts called terracotta dressings. It has a unique oval shape for its main worship area, called the nave. There is also a tower located in the south-west corner. The building's style is called Romanesque Revival, which means it looks like old Roman buildings.

Becoming a Ukrainian Catholic Church

In 1967, the Congregational church sold the building. The Ukrainian Catholics bought it to be their new main church. This was because Pope Pius XII had created a special church area for Ukrainian Catholics in London in 1957.

After the Ukrainian Catholics bought the building, they made some changes inside. These changes helped the church fit the way Catholic services are held. For example, it has a beautiful window on the east side made by Robert Anning Bell. It also has a special booth for confessions designed by J. F. Bentley, who also worked on Westminster Cathedral. In 1970, Waterhouse's building was given a special heritage status, meaning it is an important historical building.

Recent Events and Importance

In 2007, the cathedral had to close for a short time because part of its ceiling fell down. However, it was repaired and looks great again. Luckily, a beautiful screen covered with religious pictures, called an iconostasis, was not damaged. This iconostasis was created by a Ukrainian monk named Juvenalij Mokrytsky.

On January 18, 2013, the Pope at the time, Pope Benedict XVI, made the church's area even more important. It was changed from an "exarchate" to an "eparchy," which means it became a full bishopric. This gave the local bishop more authority.

The Cathedral of the Holy Family became a very important meeting place for the Ukrainian community in the UK during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many people gathered there to show support and pray. Important people, including politicians and religious leaders, gave speeches at the cathedral. The Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK and a special group of UK politicians who support Ukraine were invited by Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski to speak there.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de la Sagrada Familia (Londres) para niños