If ever there were a cathedral that could fairly be called a showplace, this is possibly it—not only because it is spectacular, but because its theatrical design makes it appear as if it were the stage set for some extravaganza.
While the exterior is starkly modern, it is still recognizably a church, although in a veiled reference to the Irish heritage of many of Liverpool’s Catholics, it’s been nicknamed “Paddy’s Wigwam. Officially, it’s the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool. Another nickname: The Mersey Funnel.
But the near-perfect circle of its exterior opens up vast and dramatic spaces within, all with unobstructed sight lines, and a great deal of lighting to highlight the ‘pillars,’ which surround the space rather than breaking it as in a traditional church.
While blue is the dominant color, it’s not the only tone. Lighting, and tall abstract stained glass mark off different areas and chapels along the perimeter.
The cathedral was completed in 1967—generations after its original plan—and so has a great deal of modern but symbolic art.
This tapestry in the St Anne chapel by Jill Hutchinson took six years to weave and was made in three sections because of its size—8 feet by 12. It was intended to suggest the landscape of Galilee as a backdrop to the statue of Christ and the Children by Stephen Foster. The materials in the tapestry include fabric, plastic bags, wire and string.
Surrounding the main sanctuary are a number of other chapels, devoted to saints or to concepts such as Unity. The Pentecost Mosaic in the Unity chapel was done by George Mayer Marton, a Hungarian-born artist who worked in Liverpool after fleeing Nazi persecution in Vienna
Traditional themes in modern forms decorate many of the spaces.
The ‘lantern’ tower above the center of the church is said to be the world’s largest single area of colored glass—and I have no reason to doubt that. On a cloudy afternoon, its interior effect was muted; at night, it’s lit from within.
The rather modern and blocky bishop’s chair—the cathedra—stands out in bright red and red light.
The main altar, center in the upper photo, is a 20-tonne block of white marble from Skopje, Macedonia.
An impressive organ case…for an impressive organ. Built in 1967, it has 4,565 pipes and 88 speaking stops. Unlike many cathedral organs, it was designed for both religious and concert performances.
Outside again, another indicator of how modern a cathedral this is: It has its own parking garage, with direct entrances into the sanctuary from the garage. That’s also the accessible entrance, without the stairs at the front.
At the main entrance, a modern lobby that offers an exhibit about the cathedral that was meant to be, because this isn’t it!
This is. By the 1850s, about a quarter of Liverpool’s population were Catholics, a diocese was created, and a plan for a cathedral drawn up, but construction was called off for financial reasons. By the 1930s, Liverpool had also been given an Anglican bishop as well, and a huge neo-Gothic Anglican cathedral was under construction, which led to revived interest among Catholics—and a plan was drawn up by a leading architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens.
The Anglican cathedral, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, is England’s largest cathedral, but Lutyens’ would have been even bigger—if it had been built. It would have been the world’s second-largest church and the world’s largest dome. Work started in 1933, mainly on the huge crypt below the church. World War II stopped the work, and the cost had already ballooned from £3 million to £27 million. The crypt was completed in 1958, but it wasn’t until 1962 that work started on the present building above it.
Ironically, the building went up in less than five years, beating the completion of the Anglican cathedral, which was under construction from 1904 to 1978. For more about the Anglican cathedral, click HERE.
