Ireland asks the Pope to resolve Dublin’s centuries-old cathedral issue.
Photo Credit: Andreas F. Borchert via Wikimedia Commons
WHEN it comes to a 500-year-old dispute regarding one of Dublin’s famed cathedrals, the Irish are reportedly now turning to the highest authority they can get a hold of on the subject: the Pope himself. Pope Leo XIV is expected to be asked to resolve a centuries-old issue from the Reformation period, and make St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin the city’s official Catholic cathedral.
Dublin’s cathedral conundrum
St Mary’s, located on Marlborough Street, was completed in 1825 and this year will celebrate its bicentenary, representing the faith of the majority in the Irish capital. It is relatively unassuming despite being so important for the heritage of the town, and sits in the north of Dublin. If it becomes the dedicated seat for Dublin’s Catholic archbishops, it would become the first official cathedral in a remarkable 500 years.
Interestingly, the cathedral was deliberately meant to be less conspicuous, and originally intended as a structure for temporary use: the ‘Pro’ in its name is short for pro tempore, meaning “for the time being.” St Mary’s was meant to be replaced by a proper cathedral at a later date. Two hundred years later, the church is still standing strong, and the arrangement is still in place.
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St Mary’s becomes an unexpected symbol of Catholicism in Dublin
The Pro-Cathedral’s crypt is the final resting place of nearly 1,000 people, including former Archbishops and other prominent Catholics and local people of the Dublin community. It has also hosted several major funerals, the largest of which being Michael Collins’ funeral in 1922. Collins was the former Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State.
Pope Francis also made a request to visit the special cathedral during a visit to Ireland.
Beyond anyone’s original expectations, St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral has become a structure of national importance in Ireland, lasting far longer than originally intended.
Attempts to build a proper cathedral, all falling through
Over the years, there were several attempts to build a permanent Catholic cathedral in Dublin. Most notably, an architectural competition was held in the 1930s to build the official cathedral in Merrion Square, which the Catholic church had purchased. The winning proposal would have been a large, modern structure in the middle of the square, but the cathedral never ended up being built, though historians can only guess as to why. The main theories are that it would be too elaborate to build, or too overpowering for the square. The design fell to the wayside.
Archbishop Farrell takes matters into his own hands
Dermot Farrell, who was appointed as Archbishop in 2021, is reportedly the one who once more raised the question of Dublin’s official Catholic cathedral. According to Reverend McDermott, the new Archbishop asked one day, “Is it correct to say that the Catholics of Dublin haven’t had a dedicated Cathedral in 500 years?”
After pondering the issue for some time, including an idea to designate St Andrew’s, Westland Row, in the south of Dublin as the official cathedral, the Archbishop eventually decided to propose St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral as the official Catholic cathedral of Dublin, with St Andrew’s as a minor basilica, or church of special importance.
According to Reverend McDermott, the proposal is officially on Pope Leo XIV’s desk. “It would be lovely if it could happen this year,” said Fr McDermott, “Particularly as we celebrate the bicentenary, the 200 years since it opened.”
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