St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Church of St Mary is a Catholic cathedral
in Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
, the mother church
of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
and seat of the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
. The Cathedral, situated on Clayton Street, was designed by Augustus Welby Pugin and built between 1842 and 1844. The cathedral is a grade I listed building and a fine example of the Gothic Revival
style of architecture championed by Pugin. There is a monument dedicated to Cardinal Basil Hume in the Monument Garden outside of the cathedral, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. St Mary's Cathedral is the fifth tallest structure in the city.
on 29 September 1850, the Catholic hierarchy was restored on a regular pattern to England and Wales. Much of what had been known as the Vicariate Apostolic of the Northern District became the new See of Hexham.
Bishop William Hogarth was appointed to be the first bishop of the new diocese, and as such, required a church in which to place his seat or cathedra
. St Mary's was chosen for this purpose and thus it gained the status of a cathedral church in 1850.
The name of the see was changed in 1861 to Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
. Since then, eleven further bishops have been installed in St Mary's as Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
.
The seat of the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle was vacant after the death of the Right Reverend Kevin John Dunn
in March 2008. He served in the post for almost four years, having been ordained and installed on the feast of St Bede the Venerable, May 25, 2004. Seamus Cunningham
received his episcopal consecration
on 20 March 2009 (feast of St. Cuthbert, the diocese's patron), at St. Mary’s Cathedral. He is the thirteenth bishop of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
On April 21, 2006 the incumbent Dean, the Reverend Michael Campion, officially left his appointment at the cathedral. He is succeeded by the Reverend Peter Leighton, formerly the Catholic Chaplain to the University of Durham. Under the careful and exacting guidance of the Reverend Peter Leighton, the Cathedral has undergone a thorough period of renovation restoring much of the beauty of the original design. Phase one of the work was completed in September 2010 and phase two of the work which includes the installation of an organ fit for a cathedral, something the cathedral has always lacked, will begin in the near future. For those who love architecture, a visit to the cathedral is a must.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle is a Roman Catholic diocese of the Latin Rite centred around St Mary's Cathedral in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in England...
and seat of the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
The Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
. The Cathedral, situated on Clayton Street, was designed by Augustus Welby Pugin and built between 1842 and 1844. The cathedral is a grade I listed building and a fine example of the Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style of architecture championed by Pugin. There is a monument dedicated to Cardinal Basil Hume in the Monument Garden outside of the cathedral, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. St Mary's Cathedral is the fifth tallest structure in the city.
History as a Cathedral
By decree of Pope Pius IXPope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
on 29 September 1850, the Catholic hierarchy was restored on a regular pattern to England and Wales. Much of what had been known as the Vicariate Apostolic of the Northern District became the new See of Hexham.
Bishop William Hogarth was appointed to be the first bishop of the new diocese, and as such, required a church in which to place his seat or cathedra
Cathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
. St Mary's was chosen for this purpose and thus it gained the status of a cathedral church in 1850.
The name of the see was changed in 1861 to Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle is a Roman Catholic diocese of the Latin Rite centred around St Mary's Cathedral in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in England...
. Since then, eleven further bishops have been installed in St Mary's as Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
The Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
.
The Cathedral today
Kevin John Dunn
The Right Reverend Kevin John Dunn was the 12th Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle.-Early life:Kevin Dunn was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire on 9 July 1950 and educated at St Mary's Primary School and St Patrick's Secondary School, both in Newcastle-under-Lyme...
in March 2008. He served in the post for almost four years, having been ordained and installed on the feast of St Bede the Venerable, May 25, 2004. Seamus Cunningham
Séamus Cunningham
Séamus Cunningham is an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle in the north of England.-Biography:...
received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on 20 March 2009 (feast of St. Cuthbert, the diocese's patron), at St. Mary’s Cathedral. He is the thirteenth bishop of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
On April 21, 2006 the incumbent Dean, the Reverend Michael Campion, officially left his appointment at the cathedral. He is succeeded by the Reverend Peter Leighton, formerly the Catholic Chaplain to the University of Durham. Under the careful and exacting guidance of the Reverend Peter Leighton, the Cathedral has undergone a thorough period of renovation restoring much of the beauty of the original design. Phase one of the work was completed in September 2010 and phase two of the work which includes the installation of an organ fit for a cathedral, something the cathedral has always lacked, will begin in the near future. For those who love architecture, a visit to the cathedral is a must.
See also
- Bishop Ambrose GriffithsAmbrose GriffithsDom Ambrose Griffiths, OSB, KC*HS was a Roman Catholic bishop of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and a Benedictine abbot....
- Eleventh Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle - Bishop Hugh Lindsay - Tenth Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
- Basil Cardinal Hume - Archbishop of Westminster 1976-1999
- Seamus CunninghamSéamus CunninghamSéamus Cunningham is an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle in the north of England.-Biography:...
- current bishop of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle