Catholic Churches

Going to mass on St Patrick's Day is a tradition that has spanned decades. Many of the Catholic churches in London are beautiful and inside they tend to blush orange with the gentle glow of hundreds of tiny candles, while wonderful statues and stained glass windows adorn the walls and naves. Sitting inside a Catholic church, regardless of religion, is a wonderfully, authentically Irish way to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

Westminster Cathedral

42 Francis Street, SW1P 1QW
Built in 1895, this eminent Early Christian Byzantine style cathedral, designed by John Francis Bently, is the principal Roman Catholic church in London. During construction, funding dwindled and the cathedral was never completed. Parts of the interior remain bare brick while others have been splashed with a colourful swirl of marble and mosaic. Westminster Cathedral is used to welcoming visitors from far and wide to have a look around but the masses here are a chance to glimpse a higher reality. A wonderfully sombre atmosphere emanates from the cathedral. We recommend going to the early evening service on St Patrick's Day when mass is sung by the choir. The elaborate, intricate beauty of the cathedral's interior is wonderful in the soft glow of twinkling candlelight and it becomes a lovely place for quiet contemplation.

Westminster Cathedral - Information

St Patrick's Soho

21a Soho Square, W1D 4NR
Nestled among the trendy, cosmopolitan area of Soho lies this striking red brick church with its conspicuous towering spire. Inside, St Patrick's takes on the Catholic traditions of intricate pomp and ceremony. Fittingly for this festival, this Italianate church was the first in England following the Reformation to be named after St Patrick. Ever since its earliest days it has been a spiritual home for the Irish in London and the feast of St Patrick has always been remembered in style. This year there are three masses on the day: at 8am, 12.45pm and 6pm and, for an extra Irish twist, Shamrock will be blessed and distributed at all services. Again we recommend the evening mass as, hopefully, the place will be burning with hundreds of tiny candles, making for a beautiful setting.

St Patrick's Soho - Information

St George's Cathedral

Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7HY
Southwark has two cathedrals, but only St George's Cathedral is Catholic. The impressive building, opened in 1848 as the first Catholic cathedral in the UK after the Reformation, occupies an historic site very close to the Imperial War Museum. Designed by great Victorian architect Pugin, whose plans were stunted due to lack of funds, the great soaring building is still an architectural gem that bears witness to the Gothic revival that was prevalent in buildings at this time. Inside the ceilings sweep up in gentle curves to the towering peak while the intricate carvings and elaborate decorations are just stunning. Much of the cathedral was badly bombed in 1941 during the Second World War; it was entirely rebuilt, however, sticking faithfully to Pugin's original design. For such a grand building, the cathedral is keen to uphold its community focus, welcoming new faces to the many services held here. The masses are just beautiful; with candles, smells and bells, they provide a wonderfully peaceful ritual.

St George's Cathedral - Information

Did you know??

Roman Catholics were persecuted in England until large scale Irish immigration encouraged increased tolerance. In 1778 the Catholic Relief Act was passed. A Protestant protest against the Act was led two years later by Lord George Gordon, beginning the week-long destruction of Catholic property known as the Gordon Riots. Parliament did not cave under pressure and instead London saw its first Catholic chapels being built shortly after the riots ended.