Christ Church Cathedral

Close-up of Christ Church Cathedral 

On Friday I walked across the way to Christ Church Cathedral, constructed in the 12^th century.    It stands within the grounds of old medieval quarter and was built inside the formally walled city providing protection from invaders.   Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in contrast was constructed outside the wall, because the common person attended mass there and they would not have been able to pay the high tax required to live inside the wall to cover the cost of the guards and the continual maintenance.

 

Detail of the "Foxy friars" floor tiles

When the church became a priory the monks became very wealthy because it was a place of pilgrimage and they developed the nickname “The Foxy Friars”.  The photos of the floor to the left show just one of  tile arrangements depicting the foxy friars.  The fox’s carry water holders made from calf skin and staffs, just as pilgrims in the Middle Ages would have.  The floor tiles are copies made in the 18^th century and are based on the original 12^th century tiles.

                                        

Empty relic casket

The church had several relics in its possession including a crow’s ear given to Saint Patrick by Jesus, one thorn from the crown of thorns, a rock from the mountain where the tablet was given, and a speaking cross.  Pilgrims were typically charged high entrance fees to view theses relics, which were believed to have heavenly powers.  Despite the reformation the church was able to retain one relic, the heart of its founder Laurence O’Toole.  On the 3^rd of March 2012 the relic was stolen from the church during the hours of operation.  The casket that house the relic heart remains on the wall and they are hopeful that it will be returned.  Unfortunately four sacred relics have been stolen from Ireland this year.

When Henry the XIII broke from Rome during the English reformation Christ Cathedral became an Anglican church.  He suppressed all the monasteries and took all the money for himself.  In 1562 the church fell down, the left wall is still lean’s but is structurally sound and is the only original portion of the ground level church.  The church is known as the “Whisky Church” because in the 19^th century a wealthy distiller named Henry Roe spent 20 million Euros to completely restore the church, rendering him bankrupt.  He hired an English architect George Edmund Street to complete the project.  You can compare the difference in the left and right walls where the restoration took place.

Left side, the "leaning wall"

Right side, completely restored wall

The crypt

The crypt was in the center of the old medieval city and all of the old building were joined together underground.   There were also three taverns below the church as there was not enough space in the medieval town.  The names of the three taverns were Paradise, Hell, and Purgatory with “instant forgiveness” upstairs.  Today you can grab a bite to eat in the crypt at the Foxy Friars Coffee Shop.