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Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch by Schwede66 –

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch

The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament popularly known as the Christchurch Basilica was a Catholic cathedral located in the city center of Christchurch in New Zealand. It was the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch and also doubled as the seat of the Bishop of Christchurch.

Consecrated in the year 1905, the building was considered to be the finest renaissance-style building in New Zealand. On April 1983, the building was registered as a category one heritage item by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust under registration number 47. Apart from that, here is a list of facts that might interest you about the iconic Christchurch.

1.It Was Designed by a Famous Architect

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament by David Jones- Wikimedia Commons

Francis Petre was the mastermind behind the Roman Basilica Style design of the cathedral. He was invited by Archbishop John Grimes after he saw his work on another project at the time, the Wellington Sacred Heart Basilica. Grimes then invited him to submit a plan for the Christchurch Cathedral.

Petre who had previous experience in using concrete, and designing dock walls and sewers as a draughtsman required him to get innovative in his methods of construction. Such methods included Pouring heart walls with concrete and then faced with stone. The company that worked with Francis Petre on the Cathedral was Jamesion and Sons who also built many other major celestial and municipal buildings in New Zealand.

2.Funds Ran Out During Its Construction

At some point during the construction of the cathedral, the money ran out. Problems with finding the right suitable stone for the construction of such a large structure caused financial difficulties during construction. This led the Archbishop to engage in constant tours of his diocese in a bid to raise enough money to continue building.

Finally, a special act of parliament was pushed by the then Premier Richard Seddon to aid with the financing of the building. The constant need to find money and to build cheaply led to strained relations between the archbishop and the architect.

3.The Design Inspirations of the Christchurch Cause Confusion about the Architect

Often likened in its outward appearance to St Paul Cathedral in London, it is conceivable that the greatest influence behind its structure was Benoit Hafferingue. Some texts read him as the main architect of the Christchurch of New Zealand, which happens to not be the case.

During Petre’s formative years, Haffereingue had been the driving force in the reconstruction of the Cathedral of Notre Dome in France, a church that bears similar plans to the Blessed Sacrament. Some similarities it bears include the controversial sitting of the dome over the altar rather than the center of the cathedral.

Petre was a student of the architect Benoit who ran a school in France at the time between 1860-1866. Therefore, it’s no surprise that he drew some of his design inspiration from his teacher. This clears up the confusion about who the actual architect of the Cathedral was.

4.Local Artist Work Added To The Building Over Time

Interior columns of the Cathedral by David Jones –

Over the years, local artists contributed to designing the church. Ria Bancroft designed tabernacle doors, Ida Lough designed the tapestry and Philip Trussum designed the stained-glass window in the chapel to name but a few.

5.It Was Destroyed in an Earthquake

In September 2010, the Canterbury earthquake led to the closure of the cathedral to the public indefinitely, to allow for seismic strengthening and restoration. However, in 2011, another earthquake of magnitude 6.3, caused the collapse of two bell towers leading to the collapse of much of the front of the church. Huge chunks of the cathedral collapsed with large blocks of masonry destroying the vehicles in front of the building.

6.The Cathedral Was Demolished

Demolition of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch by Schwede66 –

After the collapse of two of its bell towers, it was determined that the dome would not hold or survive another earthquake of that magnitude. There were evident cracks around the cathedral’s main dome. The stained glass that survived the September earthquakes and 4,000 aftershocks was also in ruins.

This led to the decision that the dome would be removed along with any other adjacent buildings. Later, on August 2019, the Christchurch Cathedral demolition began and was completed in 2021.

7.Relics Found During Demolition

The demolition of the old Cathedral unearthed some very interesting relics that had long since been buried under the 170-year-old church laying undisturbed. One such object discovered was a 150-year-old time capsule. The items, which included, a decorative clay pipe, old leather shoes, and intact gin bottles provided a lot of industrial-scale archeological dig to the historians. Many of these relics were passed on to the Canterbury Museum for preservation and study.

8.Building a Replacement for the Cathedral

Construction by Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michael Klajban-

On December 2019, the bishop announced that a new cathedral is to be constructed with the church expected to be completed in 2025 and having the capacity to house up to 1,000 people. It is to be built adjacent to Victoria Square and to be named the Catholic Cathedral.

This will cost around 85 million dollars which is much lower in terms of cost compared to what reconstruction would cost. Reconstruction of the church was estimated to cost 100 million dollars, but ultimately a financial and functional solution could not be found therefore the 113-year-old-earthquake damaged basilica is to be demolished and in its place, a new less damaged basilica will take its place in 2025.

9.The Music Choir Was Named The Cultural Ambassador Of The New Zealand Government

The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Choir and Orchestra (CBS), is the main music provider for Masses at the Cathedral. The CBS was named the cultural ambassador of the New Zealand Government in 1990. Before the earthquake, they were based in the Blessed Sacrament but moved next door after the quake to St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral.

10.Burial Site For Noble Important People

The burial grounds of the Blessed Sacrament house some very noble and important people, especially in the Cathedral’s history. Some of the dignitaries buried there is John Grimes, who was the first bishop of Christchurch. Others buried there are Edward Joyce and John Jerome, who were the fourth and eighth Catholic Bishops of Christchurch.