Christ Church Cathedral, also known simply as Christ Church, is a historic Episcopal cathedral located in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

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History

Christ Church Cathedral was established in 1823 as the first Episcopal congregation in

and the first in the State of

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

. The first

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church services had been conducted at Fort Charlotte during the British occupation of Mobile. The cornerstone of the current

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building was laid in 1838, with construction being completed in 1840. The building is stucco over brick with stone accents. In 1906 a major hurricane swept through the Mobile area and the storm crashed the original steeple through the roof, destroying both in the process. After repairs were completed the steeple was not replaced, and the church assumed its modern appearance. A new steeple was installed in April, 2017. The interior, which had to be rebuilt following the 1906 disaster, features stained glass windows by Franz Mayer & Co. and

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. The church became the cathedral of the

Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast The Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, part of Province 4. The diocese was created in 1970 from portions of the adjoining dioceses of Alabama and Florida. Its te ...

in 2005. Some years beforehand, a theologically conservative rector, his staff, and some communicants attempted to withdraw Christ Church from the Episcopal denomination in favor of a body associated with the

Anglican realignment The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States ...

movement. However, the attempted schism was not successful, and the clergy and disaffected parishioners departed, with the parish rebuilding enough to the point that the Diocese chose it as the seat for its bishop, something it lacked for its first 35 years of existence. During Christ Church's days of belonging to the Diocese of Alabama, Alabama did not have a cathedral, and would not until 1982.

References

{{coord, 30.68941, -88.04040, display=title Churches in Mobile, Alabama Episcopal church buildings in Alabama Greek Revival church buildings in Alabama Towers in Alabama Episcopal cathedrals in Alabama Religious organizations established in 1823 1823 establishments in Alabama

History

See also

References