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Vatican Confirms St Mary’s as Dublin’s Catholic Cathedral After 200 Years

A papal decree presented at Mass ends the church’s temporary designation, signaling restoration plans with renewed outreach.

Overview

  • Archbishop Dermot Farrell announced that Pope Leo XIV approved a decree naming St Mary’s the Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese of Dublin.
  • The decree was presented to the congregation during a Mass in the Marlborough Street church.
  • The “Pro” (Pro Tempore) title will be dropped and the church will be known simply as St Mary’s.
  • The designation restores an official Catholic cathedral presence in Dublin for the first time since the Reformation transferred Christ Church and St Patrick’s to the Church of Ireland.
  • The move aligns with the church’s bicentenary, recent planning permission for major restoration works, and a stated mission to serve socially isolated and poor communities in the North Inner City.