Roseau Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Fair Haven of Roseau, originally known in French as ,Sometimes called the "Catholic Cathedral of our Lady of Assumption" is a Roman Catholic cathedral
in Roseau
, the capital city of Dominica
in the Caribbean
. The church is the see
of the Diocese of Dominica
, suffragan diocese
of the Archdiocese of Castries, Saint Lucia
.
The cathedral is an example of Europe
an creolisation influence in Dominica. Built in the Gothic
Romanesque revival
style, the Cathedral's consecration, in its present form, is dated to 1916. Though it appears small from the outside, the interior is spacious and well lit.
and northeast of the Dominica Museum.
18th century
In 1727, the plot of land was first surveyed for building. Three years later, in 1730, Father Guillaume Martel established a permanent church. He planned and built a 12 metres (39.4 ft) by 5 metres (16.4 ft) church made of solid wood (timber-framed) and stone flooring, to meet the growing congregational needs of settlers who had come from France and occupied territory on the south coast of the island nation.
In April 1796, Agostino Brunias
was buried in the Catholic cemetery, located at the site of the church.
19th century
This church survived until 1816 when it was destroyed by hurricane. The present church, which was built 24 years later, located at the same site, was also found to be inadequate to meet the growing needs of church goers. This was a result of abolition of slavery and permitting former slaves to attend church services. Black and white people sat together to worship in the pews without discrimination. The expansion program which began took almost 100 years to complete to its present form. The additions to the cathedral started with a steeple built in 1855, followed by a wooden ceiling for the cathedral in 1865 by the Kalinagos who cut and brought simaruba
trees from the northeast of Roseau; it took them three months to build the wooden ceiling. During this period, a large stone pulpit was also erected. This stone pulpit was carved by prisoners who were kept in Devil's Island
(located off the coast of French Guiana). In the year 1873, at the southeast end, the Chapel of St. Joseph came to be established along with a crypt
where bishops and priests could be buried. In 1853, the town and the parish had a population of 6000 Catholics. As the Catholic Ministry did not support the building activity, the Catholic community carried stones to the site to build the church. A hurricane in 1863 caused substantial damage to the cathedral, which necessitated raising funds not only for its restoration, but also for many other churches on the island, which also had been destroyed by the hurricane. Funds were raised by imposing a levy on the French planters.
20th century
Following this, refurbishing started with stained-glass windows being added to the church, and the addition of new stone pillars in 1902. The steeple
was added on the western end, which was built with stones brought from the old church at Point Michael and then demolished. Building this part of the church brought symmetry to the cathedral’s façade. Mention is also made that the cathedral's spire
was completed in 1916. The cathedral was formally consecrated in 1925 by Bishop James Morris. After 1925, only minor additions in the form of electrical connections, a public address system and a clock have been made.
. The building is well maintained.
The interior of the cathedral is finely carved and has Victorian pews. There are ornate Victorian murals behind the side altars, painted by the local artists. The east and west walls have windows from the entrance to the altar. The organ in the cathedral was installed in January 1883.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Roseau
Roseau
-Architecture:The central district of Roseau is tightly packed with small and large houses and even larger modern concrete structures. There is little green or open space situated within the city, and this is even more so today, as many of the courtyards which was once commonplace within the city...
, the capital city of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. The church is the see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the Diocese of Dominica
Roman Catholic Diocese of Roseau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Roseau is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese encompasses the entirety of the country of Dominica. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Castries, and a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference.The...
, suffragan diocese
Suffragan Diocese
A suffragan diocese is a diocese in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop but also by a metropolitan bishop. The metropolitan is always an archbishop who governs his own archdiocese...
of the Archdiocese of Castries, Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
.
The cathedral is an example of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an creolisation influence in Dominica. Built in the Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
Romanesque revival
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style, the Cathedral's consecration, in its present form, is dated to 1916. Though it appears small from the outside, the interior is spacious and well lit.
Etymology
While Kalinago people originally called the region Sairi, French woodcutters named the city Roseau, in the 18th century. Roseau is the name of the river, the town, and the cathedral. The cathedral, originally called in French "",In English: Our Lady of the Good Haven of the Mooring of Roseau is popularly known as "Our Lady of Fair Haven". It was also known at one time as "Our Lady of Bon Port".Geography
The location of the cathedral in the southern part of the town of Roseau on the banks of the Roseau River, which assures a good water supply. The availability of a large plane of land on the south river bank also dictated the cathedral's location. The cathedral is located to the north of the Fort Young HotelFort Young Hotel
Fort Young Hotel is a hotel on the quayside of Roseau, Dominica, located in the southern part of the capital next to Garraway Hotel and Dominica Museum and Roseau Public Library, just south of the Governor's Residence and Roseau Cathedral...
and northeast of the Dominica Museum.
History
The church at Roseau was initially a small wood hut with a thatched roof made of locally available reed. Carib people built the cathedral in the local building tradition.18th century
In 1727, the plot of land was first surveyed for building. Three years later, in 1730, Father Guillaume Martel established a permanent church. He planned and built a 12 metres (39.4 ft) by 5 metres (16.4 ft) church made of solid wood (timber-framed) and stone flooring, to meet the growing congregational needs of settlers who had come from France and occupied territory on the south coast of the island nation.
In April 1796, Agostino Brunias
Agostino Brunias
Agostino Brunias was a London-based Italian painter from Rome. Strongly associated with West Indian art, he left England at the height of his career to chronicle Dominica and the neighboring islands of the West Indies...
was buried in the Catholic cemetery, located at the site of the church.
19th century
This church survived until 1816 when it was destroyed by hurricane. The present church, which was built 24 years later, located at the same site, was also found to be inadequate to meet the growing needs of church goers. This was a result of abolition of slavery and permitting former slaves to attend church services. Black and white people sat together to worship in the pews without discrimination. The expansion program which began took almost 100 years to complete to its present form. The additions to the cathedral started with a steeple built in 1855, followed by a wooden ceiling for the cathedral in 1865 by the Kalinagos who cut and brought simaruba
Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba, commonly known as the Gumbo-limbo, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas from the southeasternmost United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil and Venezuela...
trees from the northeast of Roseau; it took them three months to build the wooden ceiling. During this period, a large stone pulpit was also erected. This stone pulpit was carved by prisoners who were kept in Devil's Island
Devil's Island
Devil's Island is the smallest and northernmost island of the three Îles du Salut located about 6 nautical miles off the coast of French Guiana . It has an area of 14 ha . It was a small part of the notorious French penal colony in French Guiana until 1952...
(located off the coast of French Guiana). In the year 1873, at the southeast end, the Chapel of St. Joseph came to be established along with a crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
where bishops and priests could be buried. In 1853, the town and the parish had a population of 6000 Catholics. As the Catholic Ministry did not support the building activity, the Catholic community carried stones to the site to build the church. A hurricane in 1863 caused substantial damage to the cathedral, which necessitated raising funds not only for its restoration, but also for many other churches on the island, which also had been destroyed by the hurricane. Funds were raised by imposing a levy on the French planters.
20th century
Following this, refurbishing started with stained-glass windows being added to the church, and the addition of new stone pillars in 1902. The steeple
Steeple
Steeple may refer to:Placenames* Steeple, County Antrim, a townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland* Steeple, Dorset, a hamlet in south Dorset, England* Steeple, Essex, a very small village in south Essex, England...
was added on the western end, which was built with stones brought from the old church at Point Michael and then demolished. Building this part of the church brought symmetry to the cathedral’s façade. Mention is also made that the cathedral's spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
was completed in 1916. The cathedral was formally consecrated in 1925 by Bishop James Morris. After 1925, only minor additions in the form of electrical connections, a public address system and a clock have been made.
Architecture and fittings
The cathedral is on Virgin Lane west of the Methodist Church. It is a stone edifice with an expansive interior. The Gothic Romanesque Revival style building is constructed of volcanic rock, both inside and out, and is built to withstand earthquakes. The bell tower is stubby with a giant clock. The windows are Gothic with stained glass in the upper section and aligned wooden shutters in the lower sections, to provide good ventilation. One of the stained glass windows is dedicated to Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
. The building is well maintained.
The interior of the cathedral is finely carved and has Victorian pews. There are ornate Victorian murals behind the side altars, painted by the local artists. The east and west walls have windows from the entrance to the altar. The organ in the cathedral was installed in January 1883.