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Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar

Coordinates: 53°31′37″N 7°20′47″W / 53.5269°N 7.34629°W / 53.5269; -7.34629
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Cathedral of Christ the King
Ardeaglais Chríost an Rí
Cathedral of Christ the King is located in Ireland
Cathedral of Christ the King
Cathedral of Christ the King
The location of the cathedral in Ireland
LocationMullingar, County Westmeath
CountryIreland
Language(s)English
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitewww.mullingarparish.ie
History
Former name(s)Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (1836–1936)
StatusCathedral
DedicationChrist the King
Dedicated6 September 1936 (1936-09-06)
Consecrated13 August 1939 (1939-08-13)
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architect(s)William Byrne & Sons of Dublin
Architectural typeBasilican
StyleRenaissance Revival
Groundbreaking6 September 1933 (1933-09-06)
Construction cost£199,500 excluding decoration; £275,000 in total
Specifications
Capacity5,000
Height55 m (180 ft)
Administration
ProvinceArmagh
DioceseDiocese of Meath
ParishMullingar

Cathedral of Christ the King (Irish: Ardeaglais Chríost an Rí) is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland.[1] It is situated near the centre of Mullingar next to the Royal Canal. The cathedral is both the cathedral church of the Diocese of Meath and the principal centre of worship in the catholic parish of Mullingar, including parts of counties Meath and Westmeath.[2]

Construction

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Designed to replace the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (1836-1936), planning commenced in 1920. Granite was supplied from the quarries at Barnacullia, Co Dublin.[3]: 12:32  William Byrne & Sons of Dublin designed the cathedral to be basilican in form and renaissance in style. Its distinctive twin towers, surmounted by bronze crosses, rise to a height of about 55 metres. It was built with a seating capacity of 5,000. Building began in March 1933 and the foundation stone was laid on 6 August of that year by Bishop Thomas Mulvany. Murphy of Dublin were the builders, while much of the artistic decoration work was completed by Earley and Company of Camden Street, Dublin, and Oppenheimer Ltd., of Old Trafford, Manchester. The formal opening and dedication of the new cathedral took place on 6 September 1936. At the request of Pope Pius XI, it became the first cathedral in the world to be dedicated to Christ the King. It was solemnly consecrated on 13 August 1939, though other sources state that the consecration occurred a few weeks later on 4 September 1939 (1939-09-04).[4] The total cost of the building, including decoration, was £275,000.[5][6]

Mosaics

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The works of art for which the cathedral is most noted are the mosaics in the chapels of Saint Anne and Saint Patrick. These are the work of the Russian-born mosaic artist Boris Anrep, whose work may also be found in Westminster Cathedral.

Saint Patrick mosaic by Boris Anrep

The Saint Patrick mosaic represents the saint lighting the Paschal fire on the mount of Slane. The principal figure is that of the saint in his apostolic mission, lifting the cross in a vigorous movement, in his other hand holding a torch. The firewood is arranged in a Christogram, signifying the symbolic importance of the fire.

In the Saint Anne mosaic, the name is spelled "Anna". Saint Anne's image is also said to resemble the poet Anna Akhmatova. The mosaic artist (Anrep) had an affair with Akhmatova during World War I. He left Russia before the Bolsheviks seized power, and although he didn't contact her for 48 years, she remained the muse who haunted his imagination.[citation needed] While she has appeared in several of his mosaics, this one in Mullingar is the only to include her name. (In return, up to 34 of her poems are about him.)[7]

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  • View of the cathedral from Mary Street
    View of the cathedral from Mary Street
  • Interior with nave from entrance
    Interior with nave from entrance
  • Saint Anne Mosaic, Marian Year 1954, by Boris Anrep
    Saint Anne Mosaic, Marian Year 1954, by Boris Anrep
  • Above the main altar
    Above the main altar

References

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  1. ^ "Mullingar Parish to use webcam for much of busy Lenten schedule". Westmeath Examiner. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Irish church in 'vocations crisis'". The Tablet. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  3. ^ Kieran Sheedy, Anne Kane, Paddy Roe, Tom O'Neill, Chris O'Neill, Phil O'Neill, Jim Murphy, Peter Walsh (1 February 1976). Doc on One: (Barnacullia) Stone Cutters (Audio). Dublin: RTÉ Radio 1.
  4. ^ "County Donegal Quick Search: Buildings of Ireland: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage". www.buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 29 August 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^ "From St. Mary's to The Cathedral of Christ the King". Westmeath Topic. 6 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Edgeworthstown native Mel Hughes remembered as an accomplished sportsman and respected nurse". www.longfordleader.ie. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  7. ^ In "Ana Achmatova and Mullingar Connection" - broadcast on RTÉ 4 May 2008, the poet Joseph Woods recounts the story of the mosaics. Relevant section begins at timestamp 40’43".
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53°31′37″N 7°20′47″W / 53.5269°N 7.34629°W / 53.5269; -7.34629

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