Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford

For the cathedral of Roman Catholic diocese of Waterford and Lismore, see Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford.

Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford
The Cathedral Church of The Holy Trinity, Christ Church
52°15′37″N 07°06′52″W
Country	Ireland
Denomination	Church of Ireland
Website	www.christchurchwaterford.com
History
Dedication	Holy Trinity
Architecture
Architect(s)	John Roberts
Style	Georgian
Groundbreaking	1773
Completed	1779
Administration
Province	Province of Dublin
Diocese	Diocese of Cashel and Ossory
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Bishop of Cashel and Ossory
Dean	The Very Revd Maria Jannson
Precentor	Dean of Lismore
Archdeacon	The Venerable J.G. Murray
Laity
Organist/Director of music	E.J. Sweeney

Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford, or more formally, the Cathedral of The Holy Trinity, Christ Church, is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Waterford City, Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin. Previously the cathedral of the Diocese of Waterford, it is now one of six cathedrals in the United Dioceses of Cashel and Ossory.

Ecclesiastical history

The first church on the site was built in the 11th century. This was replaced in 1210 by a Gothic Cathedral. Following the Irish Reformation, a new body was established by decree of the Irish Parliament to become the State Church in the Kingdom of Ireland. The Church of Ireland, as it was named, assumed possession of most church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to the Latin liturgy of Roman Catholicism, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. Since Christ Church Cathedral was taken over in this way, Roman Catholic adherents were consequently obliged to worship elsewhere.

In the 18th century, the city corporation recommended that the bishop erect a new building. The architect was John Roberts, who was responsible for much of Georgian Waterford.

During the demolition of the old cathedral, a series of medieval vestments were discovered in 1773. They were presented by the then Anglican bishop, the Rt Revd Richard Chenevix, to his Roman Catholic counterpart, the Most Revd Peter Creagh, and are now kept in the Museum of Treasures in Waterford and the National Museum in Dublin.

The present building has been described by architectural historian Mark Girouard as the finest 18th century ecclesiastical building in Ireland.

Burials

• Michael Boyle (the elder), Bishop of Waterford and Lismore (1619-1635)

See also

• Bishop of Waterford
• Bishop of Waterford and Lismore
• Bishop of Cashel and Waterford
• Bishop of Cashel and Ossory
• Dean of Waterford