| Cathedral of Christ the King | |
|---|---|
Ardeaglais Chríost an Rí | |
 | |
  Cathedral of Christ the King The location of the cathedral in Ireland | |
| Location | Mullingar,County Westmeath |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Former name | Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (1836–1936) |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Dedication | Christ the King |
| Dedicated | 6 September 1936 (1936-09-06) |
| Consecrated | 13 August 1939 (1939-08-13) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | William Byrne & Sons of Dublin |
| Architectural type | Basilican |
| Style | Renaissance Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 6 September 1933 (1933-09-06) |
| Construction cost | £199,500 excluding decoration; £275,000 in total |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Height | 55 m (180 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Armagh |
| Diocese | Diocese of Meath |
| Parish | Mullingar |
Cathedral of Christ the King (Irish:Ardeaglais Chríost an Rí) is aRoman Catholiccathedral located inMullingar,County Westmeath, Ireland.[1] It is situated near the centre of Mullingar next to theRoyal Canal. The cathedral is both the cathedral church of theDiocese of Meath and the principal centre of worship in the catholic parish of Mullingar, including parts of countiesMeath and Westmeath.[2]
Designed to replace the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (1836-1936), planning commenced in 1920. Granite was supplied from thequarries at Barnacullia, County Dublin.[3]: 12:32 William Byrne & Sons of Dublin designed the cathedral to bebasilican in form andrenaissance in style. Its distinctive twin towers, surmounted by bronze crosses, rise to a height of about 55 metres. It was built with a seating capacity of 5,000. Building began in March 1933 and the foundation stone was laid on 6 August of that year by BishopThomas Mulvany. Murphy ofDublin were the builders, while much of the artistic decoration work was completed byEarley and Company ofCamden Street, Dublin, and Oppenheimer Ltd., of Old Trafford,Manchester. The formal opening and dedication of the new cathedral took place on 6 September 1936. At the request ofPope Pius XI, it became the first cathedral in the world to be dedicated toChrist the King. It was solemnly consecrated on 13 August 1939, though other sources state that the consecration occurred a few weeks later on 4 September 1939 (1939-09-04).[4] The total cost of the building, including decoration, was £275,000.[5][6]
The works of art for which the cathedral is most noted are the mosaics in the chapels ofSaint Anne andSaint Patrick. These are the work of theRussian-born mosaic artistBoris Anrep, whose work may also be found inWestminster Cathedral.
The Saint Patrick mosaic represents the saint lighting thePaschal fire on the mount ofSlane. The principal figure is that of the saint in his apostolic mission, lifting the cross in a vigorous movement, in his other hand holding a torch. The firewood is arranged in aChristogram, signifying the symbolic importance of the fire.
In the Saint Anne mosaic, the name is spelled "Anna". Saint Anne's image is also said to resemble the poetAnna Akhmatova. The mosaic artist (Anrep) had an affair with Akhmatova duringWorld War I. He left Russia before the Bolsheviks seized power, and although he didn't contact her for 48 years, she remained the muse who haunted his imagination.[citation needed] While she has appeared in several of his mosaics, this one in Mullingar is the only to include her name. (In return, up to 34 of her poems are about him.)[7]
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