St. Michan's Church
Encyclopedia
St. Michan's Church, located in Church Street, Dublin, Ireland
, is a Church of Ireland
church.
chapel
(1095), the current structure dates largely from a reconstruction in 1686, but is still (possibly) the only parish church on the north side of the Liffey surviving from a Viking
foundation.
While the exterior of the church may be unimpressive, the interior boasts some fine woodwork, and an organ
(dated 1724) on which Handel
is said to have composed his Messiah
.
, which has kept the air dry, creating ideal conditions for preservation. Among the preserved remains are a 400-year-old nun, a six-and-a-half foot man popularly believed to have been a crusader
, a body with its feet and right hand severed, and the Sheares brothers—Henry and John—who took part in the 1798 rebellion. The various holders of the title Earl of Leitrim
were also interred here.
The church and vaults are open to tours on Saturdays, and seasonally on some weekdays. As an active place of worship however, the church is closed on Sunday to visitors.
for Dublin city.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, is a Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
church.
Building
Built on the site of an early DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
(1095), the current structure dates largely from a reconstruction in 1686, but is still (possibly) the only parish church on the north side of the Liffey surviving from a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
foundation.
While the exterior of the church may be unimpressive, the interior boasts some fine woodwork, and an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
(dated 1724) on which Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
is said to have composed his Messiah
Messiah (Handel)
Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later...
.
Vaults
The vaults of St. Michan's uniquely contain many mummified remains. The walls in the vaults contain limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, which has kept the air dry, creating ideal conditions for preservation. Among the preserved remains are a 400-year-old nun, a six-and-a-half foot man popularly believed to have been a crusader
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
, a body with its feet and right hand severed, and the Sheares brothers—Henry and John—who took part in the 1798 rebellion. The various holders of the title Earl of Leitrim
Earl of Leitrim
Earl of Leitrim was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1795 for Robert Clements, 1st Viscount Leitrim. He had already been created Baron Leitrim, of Manor Hamilton in the County of Leitrim, in 1783, and Viscount Leitrim in 1793, also in the Peerage of Ireland. In 1800 he was...
were also interred here.
The church and vaults are open to tours on Saturdays, and seasonally on some weekdays. As an active place of worship however, the church is closed on Sunday to visitors.
Notable parishioners
Charles Lucas (1713-1771) was a physician and Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Dublin city.