| Christchurch Basilica | |
|---|---|
| Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament | |
 Cathedral as it appeared in 2005 | |
  Christchurch Basilica | |
| 43°32′18″S 172°38′46″E / 43.5383°S 172.6460°E | |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 12 February 1905 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Demolished |
| Heritage designation | Category I (7 April 1983) |
| Architect(s) | Francis Petre |
| Architectural type | Cathedral |
| Style | Renaissance Revival |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Christchurch |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Michael Gielen (last) |
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (popularly known as the Christchurch Basilica[1]) was a Catholic cathedral located on Barbadoes Street in the city centre of Christchurch, New Zealand. It was the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch and seat of the Bishop of Christchurch.
Designed by architect Francis Petre, it was generally held to be the finest renaissance-style building in New Zealand.[2] On 7 April 1983, the building was registered as a Category I heritage item by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, with the registration number 47. It was regarded as an outstanding example of church architecture in Australasia and was regarded as Petre's best design.[2][3]
The cathedral was closed after the 4 September 2010 Canterbury earthquake. The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake collapsed the two bell towers at the front of the building and destabilised the dome.[4] The dome was removed, and the rear of the cathedral was demolished.[5]
The decision to demolish the cathedral was made public on 4 August 2019.[6] Demolition work was completed in 2021.[7] On 7 December 2019, the Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, Paul Martin, announced that a new $85 million cathedral was to be completed by 2025 and would accommodate up to 1,000 people. It would be built adjacent to Victoria Square.[8] These plans proved controversial and resulted in an appeal by a group of parishioners to the Vatican's Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in 2023.[9] The signatura subsequently ruled that the appeal would not have jurisdiction over the cathedral replacement process.[10] In April 2024, Bishop Michael announced a new cathedral would be built on the existing Barbadeos Street site.[11]
- ^ The Cathedral is popularly referred to as a basilica. For instance: Video: Incredible 360 degree view inside ruins of Christchurch's Catholic Basilica Archived 26 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine. TVNZ (29 June 2017, accessed 26 January 2019).
Although, in Roman Catholic ecclesiastical terms, it is not classified as a minor basilica. See: List of minor basilicas in the world. - ^ a b archINFORM website (retrieved 20 July 2012)
- ^ "Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ Mathewson, Nicole (2 March 2011). "Dome of Catholic Cathedral to be removed". The Press. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ^ Harper, Paul (4 April 2011). "Quake-damaged church to be demolished". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ^ "Bishop chooses demolition for Christchurch's historic Catholic cathedral". 4 August 2019.
- ^ "Demolition begins on Christchurch's Catholic cathedral frontage". Stuff. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ "New $85m Catholic cathedral planned for centre of post-quake Christchurch", NZ Herald, 7 December 2019 (Retrieved 7 December 2019)
- ^ "Vatican action halts Christchurch's Catholic cathedral building plan", The Press, 30 March 2023 (Retrieved 12 December 2023)
- ^ "Catholic Diocese of Christchurch receives clarity from Rome", Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, 29 October 2023 (Retrieved 12 December 2023)
- ^ McDonald, Liz (21 April 2024). "Christchurch's Catholic cathedral will return to old site". The Press. Retrieved 15 August 2024.