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Westminster Cathedral

Coordinates:51°29′46″N0°08′23″W/ 51.4961°N 0.1397°W/51.4961; -0.1397
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Not to be confused withWestminster AbbeyorWestminster Chapel.

Westminster Cathedral
Metropolitan Cathedral of the Precious Bloodof Our Lord Jesus Christ
Cathedral from Victoria Street
Westminster Cathedral is located in Central London
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Shown within Central London
51°29′46″N0°08′23″W/ 51.4961°N 0.1397°W/51.4961; -0.1397
OS grid referenceTQ2924879074
LocationFrancis Street,Westminster
London,SW1
CountryEngland
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitewestminstercathedral.org.uk
History
StatusCathedral
Consecrated1910
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architect(s)John Francis Bentley
StyleNeo-Byzantine
Years built1895–1903
Specifications
Length110m (360ft)
Width47m (156ft)
Number oftowers1
Tower height87m (284ft), including the cross
Administration
ProvinceWestminster
DioceseWestminster(since 1884)
Clergy
ArchbishopVincent Nichols
DeanSlawomir Witon
Laity
Organist(s)Simon Johnson, Peter Stevens
Listed Building– Grade I
Designated1 December 1987
Amended 15 February 1994
Reference no.1066500[1]
Part of aserieson the
Catholic Church
in England and Wales
Westminster Cathedral
Organisation
History
Associations
iconCatholicism portal
Interior
Baptistery
South-western elevation
Neo-Byzantine mosaics
Reliquary ofSaintJohn Southworth
North-western elevation
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Ceiling of the Lady Chapel
North-western portal

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, known asWestminster Cathedral,is the largestRoman Catholic church in England and Walesand the seat of the CardinalArchbishop of Westminster.

The site on which the cathedral stands in theCity of Westminsterwas purchased by theDiocese of Westminsterin 1885, and construction was completed in 1903.[2]

Designed byJohn Francis Bentleyin a 9th century Christianneo-Byzantine style,and accordingly made almost entirely ofbrick,withoutsteelreinforcements,[3][4]SirJohn Betjemancalled it "a masterpiece in striped brick and stone" that shows "the good craftsman has no need of steel or concrete."[5]

History

[edit]

In the late 19th century, theRoman Catholic Church's hierarchy had only recently beenrestoredin England and Wales, and it was in memory ofCardinal Wiseman(who died in 1865, and was the first Archbishop of Westminster from 1850) that the first substantial sum of money was raised for the new cathedral. The land was acquired in 1884 by Wiseman's successor,Cardinal Manning,having previously been occupied by the secondTothill Fields Bridewellprison.

After two false starts in 1867 (under architectHenry Clutton) and 1892 (architectBaron von Herstel), construction started in 1895 under Manning's successor, the thirdarchbishop,Cardinal Vaughan,withJohn Francis Bentleyas architect, and built in a style heavily influenced byByzantine architecture.[6]The cost of the building was anticipated at £150,000 and its area 54,000 sq ft, the cathedral to be 350 ft long by 156 ft wide by 90 ft high.[7]

The foundation stone blessing by Cardinal Vaughan took place on a Saturday morning, June 29, 1895, before a "distinguished" gathering. After the "recitation of the Litanies,Cardinal Loguecelebrated Low Masscoram episcopo.A procession composed ofBenedictines,Franciscans,Jesuits,Passionists,Dominicans,Redemptorists,and secular clergy made the circuit of the grounds. The choir, directed by the Rev. Charles Cox, rendered, among other pieces,Webbe's'O Roma Felix' and 'O Salutaris'. At the luncheon which followed, the speakers included Cardinal Vaughan, Cardinal Logue, theDuke of Norfolk,Lord Acton,Henry Matthews MP,Lord Edmund Talbot,and Sir Donald Macfarlane. "[8]

The cathedral opened in 1903, a year after Bentley's death. One of the first public liturgies to be celebrated in the cathedral was Cardinal Vaughan's Requiem Mass; the Cardinal died on 19 June 1903.[9]When the debt on the building fund was liquidated, consecration ceremony took place on 28 June 1910[10]Under the laws of the Catholic Church, no place of worship could beconsecratedunless free from debt.

The decoration of the interior had hardly been started at the time of consecration, as the decoration in Byzantine churches is applied, rather than integral to the architecture. Therefore finishing the decoration of the cathedral was left to the subsequent generations. It is an architectural gem with its interior notable for rich marble decorations and the beautiful, but still incomplete, mosaics.

In 1895, the cathedral was dedicated to theMost Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.This is indicated by the Latin dedication above the portal arch:Domine Jesus Rex et Redemptor per Sanguinem tuum salva nos(English translation: "Lord Jesus, King and Redeemer, heal us through your blood" ). The additional patrons are St Mary, the mother of Jesus,St Joseph,his foster father, andSt Peter,his vicar. The cathedral also has numerous secondary patrons:St Augustineand all British saints,St Patrickandall saints of Ireland.[11]The Feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral is celebrated each year on 1 July,[11]which from 1849 until 1969 was thefeast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

In 1977, as part of herSilver Jubilee Celebrations,Queen Elizabeth IIvisited the cathedral to view a flower show.

On 28 May 1982, the first day of his six-day pastoral visit to the United Kingdom,Pope John Paul IIcelebratedMassin the cathedral.

OnSt Andrew's Day(30 November) 1995, at the invitation ofBasil Cardinal Hume,Queen Elizabeth again visited the cathedral but this time she attended ChoralVespers,the first participation of the Queen in a Roman Catholic churchliturgyin Great Britain.

On 18 September 2010, on the third day of his four-daystate visitto the United Kingdom,Pope Benedict XVIcelebrated Mass in the cathedral.

In January 2011 the cathedral was the venue for the reception and later ordination of three former Anglican bishops[12]into the newly formedPersonal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

In 2012, the cathedral was the host of two episodes of theBBC Fourthree-part documentary series namedCatholics:the first episode looked at women who attend and/or work at the cathedral and their faith, and the third episode looked at the men training to become priests atAllen Hall seminary,and in the episode was a brief scene of their ordination at the cathedral.

In May 2021, during the Covid Pandemic and the banning of public mass, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds were wed at the Cathedral.[13]

Architecture

[edit]

Westminster Cathedral is the50th largest church in the worldin terms of interior area (5,017m²), seating up to 2,000 people. It is the 38th largest Catholic church globally in terms of interior area.

The whole building, in theneo-Byzantinestyle, covers a floor area of about 5,017 square metres (54,000 sq ft); the dominating factor of the scheme, apart from thecampanile,being a spacious and uninterruptednave,18 metres (59 ft) wide and 70 metres (230 ft) long from the narthex to the sanctuary steps,[14]covered withdomical vaulting.

In planning the nave, a system of supports was adopted not unlike that to be seen in most Gothic cathedrals, where huge, yet narrow,buttressesare projected at intervals, and stiffened by transverse walls, arcading and vaulting. Unlike in aGothic cathedral,at Westminster they are limited to the interior. The main piers andtransverse archesthat support the domes divide the nave into three bays, each about 395 square metres (4,250 sq ft). The domes rest on the arches at a height of 27 metres (89 ft) from the floor, the total internal height being 34 metres (112 ft).

In selecting thependentivetype of dome, of shallow concavity, for the main roofing, weight and pressure have been reduced to a minimum. The domes and pendentures are formed of concrete, and as extraneous roofs of timber were dispensed with, it was necessary to provide a thin independent outer shell of impervious stone. The concrete flat roofing around the domes is covered with asphalt. Thesanctuaryis essentially Byzantine in its system of construction. The extensions that open out on all sides make the corona of the dome seem independent of support.

The eastern termination of the cathedral suggests theRomanesque,orLombardicstyle of Northern Italy. Thecryptwith openings into the sanctuary, thus closely following theBasilica of Sant'Ambrogio,Milan, the open colonnade under the eaves, the timber roof following the curve of the apex, are all familiar features. The large buttresses resist the pressure of a vault 14.5-metre (48 ft) in span. Although the cruciform plan is not very noticeable inside the building, it is emphasised outside by the boldly projecting transepts. These with their twin gables, slated roofs, and square turrets with pyramidal stone cappings suggest aNormanprototype in striking contrast to the rest of the design.

The main structural parts of the building are of brick and concrete, the latter material being used for the vaulting and domes of graduated thickness and complicated curve. Following Byzantine tradition, the interior was designed with a view to the application of marble andmosaic.Throughout the exterior, the lavish introduction of white stone bands in connection with the red brickwork (itself quite common in the immediate area) produces an impression quite foreign to the British eye. The bricks were hand-moulded and delivered by Faversham Brickfields at Faversham in Kent and Thomas Lawrence Brickworks inBracknell.[15]The main entrance façade owes its composition, in a measure, to accident rather than design. The most prominent feature of the façade is the deeply recessed arch over the central entrance, flanked by tribunes, and stairway turrets. The elevation on the north, with a length of nearly 91.5 metres (300 ft) contrasted with the vertical lines of the campanile and the transepts, is most impressive. It rests on a continuous and plain basement of granite, and only above the flat roofing of the chapels does the structure assume a varied outline.

Marble columns, with capitals of Byzantine type, support the galleries and other subsidiary parts of the building. The marble selected for the columns was, in some instances, obtained from formations quarried by the ancient Romans, chiefly inGreece.

High altar

[edit]

The central feature of the decoration in the cathedral is the baldacchino over thehigh altar.This is one of the largest structures of its kind, the total width being 9.5 metres (31 ft), and the height 11.5 metres (38 ft). The upper part of white marble is richly inlaid with coloured marbles, lapis lazuli, pearl, and gold. Eight columns of yellow marble, fromVerona,support thebaldacchinoover the high altar, and others, white and pink, fromNorway,support the organ galleries.

Behind the baldacchino thecryptemerges above the floor of thesanctuary,and the podium thus formed is broken in the middle by the steps that lead up to theretro-choir.The curved wall of the crypt is lined with narrow slabs of green carystran marble. Opening out of this crypt is a smaller chamber, directly under the high altar. Here are laid the remains of the first twoArchbishops of Westminster,Cardinal WisemanandCardinal Manning.The altar andrelicsofSaint Edmund of Canterburyoccupy a recess on the south side of the chamber. The little chapel ofSaint Thomas of Canterbury,entered from the north transept, is used as achantryforCardinal Vaughan.A large Byzantine stylecrucifix,suspended from the sanctuary arch, dominates the nave.

Chapels

[edit]

The chapel of theBlessed Sacrament,on the north side of the sanctuary, and theLady Chapelon the south, are entered from the transepts; they are 6.7 m (22 ft) wide, lofty, with open arcades, barrel vaulting, and apsidal ends. Over the altar of the Blessed Sacrament chapel a small baldacchino is suspended from the vault, and the chapel is enclosed with bronze grilles and gates through which people may enter. In the Lady Chapel the walls are clad in marble and the altarreredosis a mosaic of theVirgin and Child,surrounded by a white marble frame. The conches of the chapel contain predominantly blue mosaics of theOld TestamentprophetsDaniel,Isaiah,JeremiahandEzekiel.Unlike the Blessed Sacrament chapel, the chapel dedicated to theBlessed Motheris completely open. The building of the Lady Chapel was funded byBaroness Weldin memory of her second husband.[16]

Those chapels which may be entered from the aisles of the nave are also 6.7 metres (22 ft) wide, and roofed with simplebarrel vaulting.The chapel of SaintsGregoryandAugustine,next to thebaptistery,from which it is separated by an open screen of marble, was the first to have its decoration completed. The marble lining of the piers rises to thespringing levelof the vaulting and this level has determined the height of the altar reredos, and of the screen opposite. On the side wall, under the windows, the marbledadorises to but little more than half this height. From thecornicesthe mosaic decoration begins on the walls and vault. This general arrangement applies to all the chapels yet each has its own distinct artistic character. Thus, in sharp contrast to the chapel dedicated toSt. GregoryandSt. Augustinewhich contains vibrant mosaics, the chapel of theHoly Soulsemploys a more subdued, almost funereal style, decoration with late Victorian on a background of silver.[17]

As in many Catholic churches, there are theStations of the Crossto be found along the outer aisles. The ones at Westminster Cathedral are by the sculptorEric Gill,and are considered to be amongst the finest examples of his work.[2]

Mosaics

[edit]

When the cathedral's architect John Bentley died, there were no completed mosaics in the cathedral and Bentley left behind precious little in terms of sketches and designs. Consequently, the subject and styles of the mosaics were influenced by donors as well as designers, overseen by a cathedral committee established for this purpose. Indeed, Bentley's influence is, in reality, only seen in the chapel dedicated to the Holy Souls.[17]Due to the prevailing absence of any real designs by Bentley, there was no real agreement as to how the mosaics should look, and in one instance, works already installed (in theSacred Heartshrine) were removed after the death of the artist, George Bridge.[17]

Mosaics installed during the period 1912–1916 were mostly done by devotees of theArts and Crafts Movement.Those in the Lady Chapel were installed by the experienced mosaicistGertrude Martin(who had worked with George Bridge), in 1912–1913. The work was supervised by Anning Bell and Marshall, who later designed the mosaic ofChrist enthronedwhich is above the entrance to the cathedral. TheTympanumof the portal shows in a Byzantine mosaic technique from left to right the kneelingSt Peterwith theKeys of Heaven,theVirgin Mary,Jesus ChristasPantocratoron the throne,St Joseph,the Nursing Father of Jesus with alilyin his right hand, and in a kneeling position the canonized English KingEdward the Confessorin royal regalia. As Jesus Christ blesses the viewer with his right hand, he holds in his left hand theBook of Life.The Latin inscription of the opened book pages reads:Ego sum ostium per me si quis introierit salvabitur(I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved;Gospel of John10,9).

The mosaics in the chapel dedicated toSaint Andrew,paid for byThe 4th Marquess of Bute,also belong to work of the Arts and Craft Movement.[18]

The five-year period 1930 to 1935 saw a tremendous amount of work done, with mosaics placed in the Lady Chapel, in the alcoves above the confessionals, in the crypt dedicated toSaint Peter,and on the sanctuary arch.

No new mosaics were installed until 1950 when one depictingSt Thérèse of Lisieux(later replaced by a bronze) was placed in the south transept and another, in 1952, in memory of those in the Royal Army Medical Corps who died inWorld War II,in the chapel ofSaint George.From 1960 to 1962, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was decorated in a traditional, early Christian style, with the mosaics being predominantly pale pink in order to afford a sense of light and space. The designer,Boris Anrep,chose variousEucharisticthemes such as the sacrifice ofAbel,the hospitality ofAbrahamand the gathering of themannain the wilderness, as well as theFeeding the multitudeand theWedding Feast at Cana.In his old age, Anrep also acted as adviser and principal sketch artist for the mosaics installed in the chapel ofSaint Paul(1964–1965).[19]These mosaics depict various moments in the life of Paul; his occupation as a tent-maker, hisconversionto Christ, the shipwreck onMaltaand his eventual execution inRome.

It was not until the visit ofPope John Paul IIin 1982 that the next mosaic was installed above the north-west entrance. Rather than a scene, this mosaic is an inscription:Porta sis ostium pacificum per eum qui se ostium appellavit, Jesus Christum(May this door be the gate of peace through Him who called Himself the gate, Jesus Christ). In 1999, the mosaic ofSaint Patrick,holding ashamrockand apastoral staffas well as trampling on a snake, was installed at the entrance to the chapel in his honour. In 2001, a striking mosaic ofSaint Alban,strongly influenced by the style of early Byzantine iconography, was installed by the designer, Christopher Hobbs. Due to the very favourable reception of the work, Hobbs was commissioned for further mosaics: the chapel toSaint Josephwhich contains mosaics of theHoly Family(2003) and men working on Westminster Cathedral (2006). Hobbs also did the chapel in honour ofSaintThomas Becketillustrating the saint standing in front of the oldCanterbury Cathedralon the chapel's east wall and the murder of Thomas on the west wall. The vault is decorated with a design of flowers,tendrilsandroundels(2006). As of 2011,there were plans for further mosaics, including depictions ofSaint Francis of AssisiandSaint Anthonyin thenarthex.[20]

Music

[edit]

Despite its relatively short history compared to other English cathedrals, Westminster has a distinguished choral tradition. It has its origin in the shared vision ofCardinal Vaughan,the cathedral's founder, and SirRichard Runciman Terry,its inaugural Master of Music. Terry prepared his choristers for a year before their first sung service in public. For the remainder of his tenure (until 1924) he pursued a celebrated revival of great quantities ofLatinrepertoire from theEnglish Renaissance,most of which had lain unsung ever since the Reformation. Students at theRoyal College of Musicwho would become household names were introduced to their heritage whenCharles Villiers Stanfordsent them to the cathedral to hear "polyphonyfor a penny "(the bus fare). This programme also required honing the boys' sight-reading ability to a then-unprecedented standard.

The choir has commissioned many works from distinguished composers, many of whom are better known for their contribution toAnglican music,such asBenjamin BrittenandRalph Vaughan Williams.However, the choir is particularly renowned for its performance ofGregorian chantand polyphony of theRenaissance.

Unlike most other English cathedrals, Westminster does not have a separatequire;instead, the choir are hidden from view in theapsebehind thehigh altar.This, with the excellent acoustic of the cathedral building, contributes to its distinctive sound.

Located in the west gallery, the Grand Organ of four manuals and 81 stops occupies a more commanding position than many British cathedral organs enjoy. Built by Henry Willis III from 1922 to 1932, it remains one of the most successful and admired. One ofLouis Vierne's best-known organ pieces, "Carillon de Westminster",the final movement from Suite no. 3 (op. 54) of Pièces de Fantaisie, was originally improvised on it in 1924,[21]and the subsequent 1927 published version is dedicated to Willis.

The apse organ of fifteen stops was built in 1910 byLewis & Co.[22]Although the Grand Organ has its own attached console, a console in the apse can play both instruments.

On 3 May 1902, some 3,000 people attended a concert of sacred music in the cathedral, organised to raise money for the Choir School and to test the acoustics in the building. The music was provided by an orchestra of a hundred and a choir of two hundred, including the Cathedral Choir, directed by Richard Terry. The programme included music byWagner,Purcell,Beethoven,Palestrina,ByrdandTallis.The acoustics proved to be excellent.[23]One year later, on 6 June 1903, the first performance in London ofThe Dream of Gerontius,a poem by CardinalJohn Henry Newman,set to music byEdward Elgar,took place in the cathedral. The composer himself conducted, with Richard Terry at the organ.[24]Once again, the proceeds went to support the Cathedral Choir School.

John Tavener'sThe Beautiful Names,a setting of the 99 names of Allah found in theQur'an,premièred in the cathedral on 19 June 2007, in a performance by theBBC Symphony OrchestraandChorusin the presence ofCharles, Prince of Wales.[25]

Choir

[edit]

The founder of Westminster Cathedral,Cardinal Herbert Vaughanlaid great emphasis on the beauty and integrity of the cathedral's liturgy. Initially, he determined there should be a community of Benedictine monks at the new cathedral, performing the liturgies and singing the daily Office. This caused great resentment amongst the secular clergy of the diocese, who felt they were being snubbed. In the end, negotiations with both the English Benedictines and the community of French Benedictines atFarnboroughfailed and a traditional choir of men and boys was set up instead.[26]Despite great financial problems, the Choir School opened on 5 October 1901 with eleven boy choristers, in the building originally intended for the monks. Cardinal Vaughan received the boys with the words "You are the foundation stones".[27]The Cathedral Choir was officially instituted three months later in January 1902.[28]Sung Masses and Offices were immediately established when the cathedral opened for worship in 1903, and have continued without interruption ever since.

In September 2020, Cardinal Vincent Nichols responded to a strategic review of sacred music at Westminster Cathedral, asking that "all those who profess to be fervent supporters of this precious inheritance of sacred music to become regular contributors to its financial support. It is, unquestionably, time to look ahead in order to ensure that this tradition of sacred music in Westminster Cathedral...can be put onto a firm footing for years to come."[29]

When the question of a musical director was first considered, the choice fell on the singer SirCharles Santley,who had conducted the choir of thepro-cathedralinKensingtonon several occasions. But Santley knew his limitations and refused.[30]Richard Runciman Terry—Director of Music atDownside Abbey School—then became the first director of music of Westminster Cathedral. It proved to be an inspired choice. Terry was both a brilliant choir trainer and a pioneering scholar, one of the first musicologists to revive the great works of the English and other European Renaissance composers. Terry built Westminster Cathedral Choir's reputation on performances of music—byByrd,Tallis,Taverner,PalestrinaandVictoria,among others—that had not been heard since the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and Mass at the cathedral was soon attended by inquisitive musicians as well as the faithful. The performance of great Renaissance Masses and motets in their proper liturgical context remains the cornerstone of the choir's activity.

Terry resigned in 1924, and was succeeded by CanonLancelot Longwho had been one of the original eleven choristers in 1901.

At the beginning of theSecond World War,the boys were at first evacuated toUckfieldin East Sussex, but eventually the choir school was closed altogether for the remainder of the war. The music at the cathedral was performed by a reduced body of professional men singers.[31]During this period, from 1941 to 1947, the Master of Music was William Hyde, who had been the sub-organist under Richard Terry.[32]

Hyde was succeeded byGeorge Malcolm,who developed the continental sound of the choir and consolidated its musical reputation—in particular through the now legendary recording of Victoria'sTenebrae responsories.More recent holders of the post have included Francis Cameron,Colin Mawby,Stephen Cleobury,David Hill,James O'DonnellandMartin Baker.In May 2021, Simon Johnson was appointed as the Master of Music.[33]

In addition to its performances of Renaissance masterpieces, Westminster Cathedral Choir has given many first performances of music written especially for it by contemporary composers. Terry gave the premières of music byVaughan Williams(whose Mass in G minor received its liturgical performance at a Mass in the cathedral),Gustav Holst,Herbert HowellsandCharles Wood;in 1959Benjamin Brittenwrote his Missa brevis for the choristers; and since 1960 works byLennox Berkeley,William Mathias,Colin Mawby andFrancis Grierhave been added to the repertoire. Most recently four new Masses—byRoxanna Panufnik,James MacMillan,SirPeter Maxwell DaviesandJudith Bingham—have received their first performance in the cathedral. In June 2005 the choristers performed the world première of SirJohn Tavener's Missa Brevis for boys' voices.

Westminster Cathedral Choir made its first recording in 1907. Many more have followed in theWestminster Cathedral Choir discography,most recently the series on theHyperionlabel, and many awards have been conferred on the choir's recordings. Of these the most prestigious are the 1998 Gramophone Awards for both Best Choral Recording of the Year and Record of the Year, for the performance ofMartin's Mass for Double Choir andPizzetti'sRequiem, conducted by O'Donnell. It is the only cathedral choir to have won in either of these categories.

When its duties at the cathedral permit, the choir also gives concert performances both at home and abroad. It has appeared at many important festivals, includingAldeburgh,Cheltenham,Salzburg, Copenhagen,BremenandSpitalfields.It has appeared in many of the major concert halls of Britain, including theRoyal Festival Hall,theWigmore Halland theRoyal Albert Hall.The cathedral choir also broadcasts frequently on radio and television.

Westminster Cathedral Choir has undertaken a number of international tours, including visits to Hungary, Germany and the US. The choristers participated in the 2003 and 2006 InternationalGregorian chantFestival inWatou,Belgium, and the full choir performed twice at theOsloInternational Church Music Festival in March 2006. In April 2005, 2007 and 2008 they performed as part of the "Due Organi in Concerto" festival inMilan.In October 2011, they sang the inaugural concert of the Institute for Sacred Music atSaint John'sinMinnesota.

The cathedral is frequently referred to as the 'Drome'. This dates from the early 20th century days when the Lay Clerks were represented by Equity—the trade union for actors and variety artists. In the profession, it was jokingly referred to as 'The Westminster Hippodrome'—a nickname which was later shortened to the 'Drome'.[34]

Oremusmagazine

[edit]

Westminster Cathedral has published a monthly magazine since 1896, before the building work was completed. The latest in a series of titles isOremus,which first appeared in 1996. (The Latin wordoremustranslates into English as "Let us pray".)Oremusis a 32-page colour magazine, which contains features and articles by well-known members of the Catholic community, as well as non-Catholic commentators and leading figures within British society. It is the successor of titles such as theWestminster Cathedral Record,selling at 6d per copy from January 1896, theWestminster Cathedral Chronicle,a monthly, available from January 1907 at 2d a copy or 3/- a year, post paid, and theWestminster Cathedral Bulletin,first published in 1974. Dylan Parry, who edited the magazine between 2012 and August 2016, took the decision to makeOremusa free publication in 2013. The magazine is also available to download via Westminster Cathedral's website.[35][36]

Burials

[edit]

In order of years of office:

  • Richard Challoner(1691–1781) Vicar Apostolic of the London District (Re-interred in the cathedral 1946)
  • Nicholas Wiseman(28 September 1850 – 15 February 1865) First Archbishop of Westminster upon the re-establishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales in 1850. (Re-interred in the cathedral 1907)
  • Henry Edward Manning(16 May 1865 – 14 January 1892) Archbishop of Westminster. (Re-interred in the cathedral 1907)
  • Herbert Vaughan(8 April 1832 – 19 June 1903) Archbishop of Westminster. (Re-interred in the cathedral 2005)
  • Arthur Hinsley(1 April 1935 – 17 March 1943) Archbishop of Westminster
  • Bernard Griffin(18 December 1943 – 19 August 1956) Archbishop of Westminster
  • William Godfrey(3 December 1956 – 22 January 1963) Archbishop of Westminster
  • John Heenan(22 February 1965 – 7 November 1975) Archbishop of Westminster
  • Basil Hume(9 February 1976 – 17 June 1999) Archbishop of Westminster
  • Cormac Murphy-O'Connor(15 February 2000 – 3 April 2009) (Died on 1 September 2017) Archbishop of Westminster and first emeritus Archbishop, since the other holders died in office

Also buried in the crypt is Alexander countBenckendorff,the Russian ambassador to theCourt of St James'sfrom 1903 until his death in 1917.

[edit]
Westminster Cathedral byBrian Whelan

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Historic England."Wesminster Cathedral (1066500)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved10 November2016.
  2. ^ab"Westminster Cathedral – London, England".www.sacred-destinations.com.Retrieved12 November2019.
  3. ^Mark Daly (16 October 2018).London Uncovered (New Edition): More than Sixty Unusual Places to Explore.White Lion Publishing. p. 134.ISBN978-0-7112-3998-2.
  4. ^Lance Day; Ian McNeil (11 September 2002).Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology.Routledge. p. 111.ISBN978-1-134-65019-4.
  5. ^Betjeman, John (25 July 1974).A Pictorial History of English Architecture.Penguin Books Ltd. p. 95.ISBN978-0140038248.
  6. ^Westminster Cathedral PiazzaArchived19 August 2014 at theWayback MachinefromLondon Gardens Onlineretrieved 16 May 2013
  7. ^"The New Roman Catholic Cathedral, Westminster".The Illustrated London News:3. 20 July 1895 – via Archive.Org.
  8. ^"The New Roman Catholic Cathedral, Westminster".The Illustrated London News:3. 20 July 1895 – via Archive.org.
  9. ^Howse, Christopher (30 April 2005)."Sacred Mysteries".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved20 February2016.
  10. ^Alba, M.J. (14 May 2013)."10 Most Famous Unfinished Buildings".Retrieved12 July2016.
  11. ^ab"Dedication of the Cathedral – Westminster Cathedral".www.westminstercathedral.org.uk.Retrieved12 July2018.
  12. ^"Ex-Anglican bishops ordained as Catholics".BBC News.15 January 2011.Retrieved20 February2016.
  13. ^"The Reinvention of the Catholic Church".The Atlantic.11 December 2022.
  14. ^Winefride de L'Hôpital,Westminster Cathedral and its Architect,vol. 1, p. 47.
  15. ^"Data"(PDF).britishbricksoc.co.uk. 2013.Retrieved2 November2021.
  16. ^Cooksey, Pamela (4 October 2007)."Weld, Jane Charlotte [known as Baroness Weld] (1806–1871), convert to Roman Catholicism and benefactor".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/95696.ISBN978-0-19-861412-8.Retrieved14 May2023.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
  17. ^abcRogers, Patrick (July 2004)."Cathedral Mosaics: Part I – Trial and Error".Oremus.Westminster Cathedral. Archived fromthe originalon 30 May 2017.Retrieved16 July2011.
  18. ^Rogers, Patrick (July 2004)."Cathedral Mosaics: Part III – The Arts and Crafts Men".Oremus.Westminster Cathedral. Archived fromthe originalon 30 May 2017.Retrieved16 July2011.
  19. ^Rogers, Patrick (July 2004)."Cathedral Mosaics: Part V – A Russian Perspective".Oremus.Westminster Cathedral. Archived fromthe originalon 30 May 2017.Retrieved16 July2011.
  20. ^Rogers, Patrick (July 2004)."Cathedral Mosaics: Part VI – The Journey proceeds".Oremus.Westminster Cathedral. Archived fromthe originalon 30 May 2017.Retrieved16 July2011.
  21. ^"Westminster Cathedral - The Grand Organ".westminstercathedral.org.uk.Retrieved11 September2023.
  22. ^"Westminster Cathedral".Organrecitals.com. Archived fromthe originalon 22 December 2015.Retrieved20 February2016.
  23. ^Patrick Rogers,Westminster Cathedral. An Illustrated History,London, 2012, p. 44.
  24. ^""Gerontius" At The Westminster Cathedral ".Archived fromthe originalon 22 September 2015.Retrieved17 June2016.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help),article in:The Tablet,13 June 1903, p. 7.
  25. ^"Allah to be glorified in Westminster Cathedral".Catholic ActionUK. 20 June 2007.Retrieved20 February2016.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  26. ^Westminster Cathedral 1895–1995. A souvenir brochure compiled by Mgr George Stack, Cathedral Administrator,p. 16.
  27. ^Alan Mould,The English Chorister. A History,London, 2007, p. 221.
  28. ^Patrick Rogers,Westminster Cathedral. An Illustrated History,London, 2012, p.38.
  29. ^"Cardinal's Response to Strategic Review of Sacred Music".rcdow.org.uk.25 September 2020.Retrieved14 December2021.
  30. ^Rev. Lancelot Long,A "Song School" Jubilee.Article inThe Tablet,2 October 1926.
  31. ^Peter Doyle,Westminster Cathedral 1895–1995,London, 1995, p. 64.
  32. ^The Tablet,6 February 1954, p. 18.
  33. ^"Westminster Cathedral Appoints Simon Johnson as Master of Music -".Rhinegold.Retrieved18 July2021.
  34. ^"Oremus, Nov. 2017"(PDF).
  35. ^"Oremus – The Cathedral Magazine".Westminster Cathedral.Retrieved5 August2014.
  36. ^"Behind the Scenes of Oremus".Westminster Cathedral.Retrieved5 August2014.

Sources

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  • This article incorporates text (concerning architecture) from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Westminster Cathedral".Catholic Encyclopedia.Robert Appleton Company.
  • Winefride de L'Hôpital.Westminster Cathedral and Its Architect,2 vols. Dodd, Mead & Co., New York (1919).
  • Patrick Rogers.Westminster Cathedral: from Darkness to Light.Burns & Continuum International Publishing Group, London (2003).ISBN0-86012-358-8.
  • Peter Doyle.Westminster Cathedral: 1895–1995.Geoffrey Chapman Publishers, London (1995).ISBN978-0-225-66684-7.
  • John Browne and Timothy Dean.Westminster Cathedral: Building of Faith.Booth-Clibborn Editions, London (1995).ISBN1-873968-45-0.
  • John Jenkins and Alana Harris, 'More English than the English, more Roman than Rome? Historical signifiers and cultural memory at Westminster Cathedral',Religion49:1 (2019), pp. 48–73https://doi.org/10.1080/0048721X.2018.1515328
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