Wellington Cathedral of St Paul

About

The Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, also called St Paul's Cathedral or Wellington Cathedral, is an Anglican cathedral church located on Hill Street, at its junction with Molesworth Street, in Thorndon, in the city of Wellington, New Zealand. It is situated close to the parliament precinct. The cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Wellington and the seat of the Bishop of Wellington, within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The building was designed in the 1930s by New Zealand architect Cecil Wood. Construction began in 1954, and was completed in 1998. It was constructed in reinforced concrete due to the effects of the 1931 Napier earthquake making other choices impractical. The church was initially envisioned as a war memorial cathedral, and it was designed on a monumental scale. The Archbishop of New Zealand, Reginald Herbert Owen, declared in 1958: "Every nation needs in its capital city a great church to express its belief in the things of the spirit". The building began to be used as an Anglican cathedral in 1964 (replacing Old St Paul's), and was consecrated in 2001.

As well as being a popular attraction, St Paul's Cathedral is a working church with daily services. The cathedral, as the largest church in Wellington, also plays a role in many state occasions.

The first Church of St Paul stood behind where the Beehive stands today. This served as the first Anglican parish church for the early British settlers.

As early as the 1840s preparations for a cathedral had been made and bricks were laid. However, the first project came to an end in 1855 after an earthquake hit Wellington, which highlighted the unsuitability of brick buildings in such an area.

Construction of a second church, today known as " Old St Paul's ", located behind the Pipitea Marae, began in 1855. It was the pro-cathedral church for the Anglican Diocese of Wellington from 1866 to 1964. Old St Paul's is still consecrated, but owned by Heritage New Zealand.

In 1907, the diocese acquired land for a permanent cathedral, a site close to the Basin Reserve. In July 1917, the diocesan synod approved preliminary plans drawn up by architect Frank Peck for an elaborate Gothic structure on the site. It was to include a memorial military chapel in the west wing, in which the names of all New Zealanders who had fallen in the Boer War and First World War would be commemorated, and flags of the regiments displayed. Fund-raising for the proposed "Wellington Memorial Cathedral" began the following year, with collections even in England. However, in 1923, the synod decided the original ambitious plans were too costly to proceed with.

Plans were revived in 1937, when it was decided to make the cathedral a project for the national centennial of 1940. The diocese selected Cecil Wood, a New Zealand architect, to design the building. A new site was acquired on Molesworth Street, close to the Parliament Buildings and the Roman Catholic Cathedral. After the 1931 Napier earthquake, the decision was made to construct the cathedral primarily out of reinforced concrete, which was deemed to be more earthquake-resistant. Wood was inspired by the Art Deco architecture of Southern California, and the neo-Byzantine -style of the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral, London. His final design, which has been implemented relatively unchanged, was a 88-metre (289 ft) long and 18-metre (59 ft) high building.

Construction of the new cathedral was delayed by the Second World War and its aftermath, and ultimately the project took about 50 years to complete. The foundation stone was laid by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 January 1954; the first stage was dedicated on 17 May 1964; the second stage was dedicated on 5 November 1972. The bell tower was added in 1984, and dedicated on Easter Day, April 1984.

In 1992, the diocesan synod decided to raise money for a third and final stage of construction. The completed cathedral was dedicated on 31 May 1998 and consecrated on 15 October 2001; finally, on 24 February 2002, the Queen unveiled the consecration stone.

The first Church of St Paul stood behind where the Beehive stands today. This served as the first Anglican parish church for the early British settlers.

As early as the 1840s preparations for a cathedral had been made and bricks were laid. However, the first project came to an end in 1855 after an earthquake hit Wellington, which highlighted the unsuitability of brick buildings in such an area.

Construction of a second church, today known as " Old St Paul's ", located behind the Pipitea Marae, began in 1855. It was the pro-cathedral church for the Anglican Diocese of Wellington from 1866 to 1964. Old St Paul's is still consecrated, but owned by Heritage New Zealand.

In 1907, the diocese acquired land for a permanent cathedral, a site close to the Basin Reserve. In July 1917, the diocesan synod approved preliminary plans drawn up by architect Frank Peck for an elaborate Gothic structure on the site. It was to include a memorial military chapel in the west wing, in which the names of all New Zealanders who had fallen in the Boer War and First World War would be commemorated, and flags of the regiments displayed. Fund-raising for the proposed "Wellington Memorial Cathedral" began the following year, with collections even in England. However, in 1923, the synod decided the original ambitious plans were too costly to proceed with.

Plans were revived in 1937, when it was decided to make the cathedral a project for the national centennial of 1940. The diocese selected Cecil Wood, a New Zealand architect, to design the building. A new site was acquired on Molesworth Street, close to the Parliament Buildings and the Roman Catholic Cathedral. After the 1931 Napier earthquake, the decision was made to construct the cathedral primarily out of reinforced concrete, which was deemed to be more earthquake-resistant. Wood was inspired by the Art Deco architecture of Southern California, and the neo-Byzantine -style of the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral, London. His final design, which has been implemented relatively unchanged, was a 88-metre (289 ft) long and 18-metre (59 ft) high building.

Construction of the new cathedral was delayed by the Second World War and its aftermath, and ultimately the project took about 50 years to complete. The foundation stone was laid by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 January 1954; the first stage was dedicated on 17 May 1964; the second stage was dedicated on 5 November 1972. The bell tower was added in 1984, and dedicated on Easter Day, April 1984.

In 1992, the diocesan synod decided to raise money for a third and final stage of construction. The completed cathedral was dedicated on 31 May 1998 and consecrated on 15 October 2001; finally, on 24 February 2002, the Queen unveiled the consecration stone.

The wooden Lady Chapel is along the ambulatory to the left of the pulpit. The Lady Chapel was formerly the parish church of St Paul's at Paraparaumu. Designed by the diocesan architect Frederick de Jersey Clere, the chapel was opened on its Paraparaumu site in 1905. It was moved to the grounds of Wellington Cathedral in 1990, and consecrated on 12 May 1991.

A second smaller chapel space is located to the left of the entrance. It is furnished plainly with a small altar.

The cathedral's nave contains many stained-glass windows by church artist Brian Thomas, who had previously designed windows in Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral, London. Thomas took as his theme words of St Paul at the Areopagus : “The Unknown God: Him I now proclaim”. The windows were created by Whitefriars of London and depict figures and scenes such as the conversion of St Paul ; Jacob, the patriarch who wrestled with an angel; Moses, the law-giver; David the hero King; the nativity of Jesus ; and Christ's crucifixion and the resurrection.

The narthex (lobby) is separated from the rest of the nave by a wall consisting of glass panels depicting figures representing angels. The etchings are the work of New Zealand-born artist John Hutton. Similar work by Hutton exists in Coventry Cathedral in England.