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Story: Catholic Church

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch

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Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch

The Romaneseque Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch opened in 1905 on the site of an earlier wooden chapel. Known as the Basilica, it was designed by Francis Petre in the style of early Roman church buildings. It came to be regarded as one of the finest examples of church architecture in Australasia. Seriously damaged in the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011, it was demolished in 2020.

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Society of Mary Archives

Reference: GM 522/22; GM 522/21A

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How to cite this page

Rory Sweetman, Catholic Church – Building a national Catholic Church, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/29288/cathedral-of-the-blessed-sacrament-christchurch (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Rory Sweetman, published 26 April 2011.