Council congratulates Cathedral

Wed, 27 Sep 2023

Douglas City Council has offered official congratulations to St Mary’s of the Isle Catholic Church in the capital after it was granted Cathedral status.

The honour, bestowed by Pope Francis, follows Douglas being named a City as part of last year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The head of the Catholic Church in the Island, Monsignor John Devine, who is also the current Mayor’s Chaplain, said the accolade would honour and acknowledge the unique history of the Manx church as a "significant part of our Archdiocese".

The Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Mrs Byron-Teare JP, said: "The news that St Mary’s Church has been granted the status of a Cathedral is wonderful news and a real honour, not just for the Church community but also Douglas and the wider Island.

"We were delighted to hold our annual Civic Service at St Mary’s on Sunday. It is most fitting that the city of Douglas will now have a Cathedral and we understand an official occasion will mark this milestone in due course."

Built in 1859 and located in Hill Street in Douglas, the Church will soon become "co-cathedral" to Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, making the churches the first in the British Isles to share the same Archbishop.

The status comes about when both dioceses are merged or when a single diocese spans two distinct civil jurisdictions.

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