The St Patrick's Basilica or Oamaru Basilica, as it is popularly known because of its style of architecture,In Roman Catholic ecclesiastical terms, St Patrick's Basilica is not a

Minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

. See:
List of minor basilicas in the world.
/ref> is a Catholic church in

Oamaru Oamaru (; ) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast; State Highway 1 (New Zealand), Sta ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. It was designed by the prominent New Zealand architect

Francis Petre Francis William Petre (27 August 1847 – 10 December 1918), sometimes known as Frank Petre, was a New Zealand-born architect based in Dunedin. He was an able exponent of the Gothic revival style, one of its best practitioners in New Zea ...

and is one of his most celebrated works. It is one of the most important historic buildings of Oamaru and of the

North Otago North Otago is an area in New Zealand that covers the area of the Otago region between Shag Point and the Waitaki River, and extends inland to the west as far as the village of Omarama (which has experienced rapid growth as a developing centre f ...

region. The Basilica's classical

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...

and three

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

s are an admired feature of the Oamaru townscape and the building is particularly noted for the high quality of the

stone carving Stone carving is an activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. Owing to the permanence of the material, stone work has survived which was created during our prehistory or past time. Work carried ...

and fine

plasterwork Plasterwork is construction or ornamentation done with plaster, such as a layer of plaster on an interior or exterior wall structure, or plaster Molding (decorative), decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. This is also sometimes called parge ...

of its architectural features. The Basilica "must surely have one of the noblest church interiors in the country. Built entirely of Oamaru stone the exterior has weathered more than one would have expected, but inside the church glows with reflected light from the creamy stone which is virtually in its original state." "The interior is bathed in abundant

natural light Natural Light, formerly Anheuser-Busch Natural Light, nicknamed Natty, is an American reduced-calorie light lager brewed by Anheuser-Busch. Its ingredients are listed as water, barley malt, cereal grains, yeast, and hops. One serving contains ...

, and with clear glass rather than stained in the high

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

windows, the quality of light is enhanced."

Basilica

St Patrick's Basilica is an important example of the work of Francis Petre. The Basilica is an aesthetically imposing building that makes a vital contribution to the streetscape. It stands at the end of a long street (Usk St) leading from the Oamaru shore and ending at the great portico of the building. This Portico is composed of eight Corinthian columns of Oamaru stone (six in front, two behind), whose pedestals rest on elongated

plinths A pedestal or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In civil engineering, it is also called ''basement''. The minimum height of ...

, and a high

pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...

closely reflecting those of a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

Greek temple Greek temples (, semantically distinct from Latin , " temple") were structures built to house deity statues within Greek sanctuaries in ancient Greek religion. The temple interiors did not serve as meeting places, since the sacrifices and ritu ...

. However, the church's

palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

heritage is emphasised by the front dome on each side and the great dome behind. The Irish character of the church's early

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

and

congregation Congregation may refer to: Religion *Church (congregation), a religious organization that meets in a particular location *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administrative body of the Catholic Church *Religious congregation, a type of religious instit ...

is attested to by the great statues of

St Columba Columba () or Colmcille (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is today Scotland at the start of the Hiberno-Scottish mission. He founded the important abbey ...

on the left and

St Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints being Brigid of Kildare and Columba ...

on the right. The building's bulk, form and architectural styling are impressive. The interior is richly decorated, with two impressive ranges of carved

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

Corinthian columns creating

colonnade In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or curv ...

s along the nave, completed by the pressed

zinc Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic tabl ...

ceilings, wooden pews and religious sculptures. Light floods in from the

clerestory A clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey; from Old French ''cler estor'') is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both. Historically, a ''clerestory' ...

above. On the ceiling plaster

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...

s frame the richly ornamented pressed-zinc panels. "The Basilica is culturally significant emphasising the importance of the Roman Catholic Church to Oamaru, and is a landmark for the town. The design is technically accomplished and forms a vital element in Petre's Basilican architectural ouvre and the building is among his most well known and iconic works. The Basilica is an important component in Oamaru's white-stone architecture, characteristic of the township, and is as well the key component of the group of buildings associated with the Catholic Church in Oamaru presbytery, school buildings and large convent">Clergy_house.html" ;"title="Clergy house">presbytery, school buildings and large convent- all located near the Basilica)] ."

Foundation

The inspiration and effort behind the building of St Patrick's came from Father (later Monsignor) John Mackay, who became Parish Priest in Oamaru on 3 March 1890. He wished to build a church that would suit the needs of his congregation and began fundraising. By April 1893 he was had enough money to start on the building. On an earlier trip to Europe, he had seen buildings he considered would suit the needs of the Oamaru Parish and he had commissioned Francis Petre to put his observations and ideas into a practical design. The laying of the foundation stone coincided with the

silver jubilee Silver Jubilee marks a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, the 25th year of a monarch's reign or anything that has completed or is entering a 25-year mark. Royal Silver Jubilees since 1750 Note: This ...

ordination Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

of Mackay, who was parish priest of Oamaru for 36 years (1890–1926) and who supervised the construction of the Basilica from its commencement in 1893 until its final completion 25 years later in 1918. The

foundation stone A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...

was laid on

Trinity Sunday Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christianity, Western Christian liturgical year, liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the ...

1893, by Bishop Moran of Dunedin. The successful tender for the construction of the church had been made by D.W. Woods: £3,460 exclusive of the sanctuary and dome. The whole building was to be of Oamaru stone, cut from the nearby

quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mining, open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock (geology), rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some juri ...

Weston Weston may refer to: Places Australia * Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Weston, New South Wales * Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra * Weston Park, Canberra, a park Canada * Weston, Nova Scotia * W ...

, Mr Joseph Kelly of Weston being the Quarry contractor.

Nave

The first contract was for the nave,

organ loft A loft is a building's upper storey or elevated area in a room directly under the roof (American usage), or just an attic: a storage space under the roof usually accessed by a ladder (primarily British usage). A loft apartment refers to large ...

and temporary sanctuary only. Petre used

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...

on the outer lower portion of the main walls of the nave to a height of seven feet. He also specified that the floor of the organ loft be of poured concrete. By November 1894 this was finished and the church was dedicated on 18 November with the front portico, a flight of steps, the two front domes, the main dome, the permanent sanctuary,

sacristies A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is usually located ...

tribunes Tribune () was the title of various elected officials in ancient Rome. The two most important were the tribunes of the plebs and the military tribunes. For most of Roman history, a college of ten tribunes of the plebs acted as a check on the ...

and side

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

s yet to be bulilt.

Ceiling

In 1898, the

coffer A coffer (or coffering) in architecture is a series of sunken panels in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault. A series of these sunken panels was often used as decoration for a ceiling or a vault, al ...

type ceiling that was originally designed in wood panels and mouldings, was completed in zinc supplied by Wunderlich & Co. of

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

. The richly embossed zinc, while giving an impression of massiveness, was actually light and had the advantage of being an excellent

resonator A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance or resonant behavior. That is, it naturally oscillates with greater amplitude at some frequencies, called resonant frequencies, than at other frequencies. The oscillations in a reso ...

, greatly improving the acoustic of the Basilica. Five shades of colouring were utilised on the 78 squares of zinc and this work was undertaken by McKay assisted by some of the "best" pupils of the convent school. This colouring work was done before the ceiling was erected.

Frontage

McKay, who was unremitting in his efforts to complete the building, pressed on with fundraising by means of

bazaar A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...

s and

raffle A raffle is a gambling competition in which people obtain numbered tickets, each of which has the chance of winning a prize. At a set time, the winners are drawn at random from a container holding a copy of each number. The drawn tickets are che ...

s to finance the next stage of the construction. This involved the front portico, the flight of steps, the two front domes and the carving of the columns. The completion of this stage was celebrated on 26 April 1903. The stone work for this stage was done by Messrs. Fergusson, Given & Co. and Mr David Given carved the columns and

pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...

s. It was noted at this time that the Oamaru Basilica was the first building in New Zealand in which domes had been adopted. Early descriptions of the building stated that it was as near as possible for modern purposes, severely Greek, not only in general design but also in its constructional features, but the introduction of domes and arches, meant that it deviated somewhat from the transom and

of the old Greek models. It is actually a

palladian revival Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Republic of Venice, Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetr ...

building.

Completion

In 1917 construction began on the permanent sanctuary, sacristies, tribunes, side chapels and the main dome. Considerable

excavation Excavation may refer to: * Archaeological excavation * Excavation (medicine) * ''Excavation'' (The Haxan Cloak album), 2013 * ''Excavation'' (Ben Monder album), 2000 * ''Excavation'' (novel), a 2000 novel by James Rollins * '' Excavation: A Mem ...

was necessary to take the massive foundations needed to support the 150 foot dome. On 3 June 1917, the "

corner stone A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. Over time a ...

" (the second foundation stone for the building) was lowered into position. Bishop Verdon of Dunedin "plied the trowel" and carried out the ceremony. The dome is not located above the crossing, the normal placement, but above the

sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred space, sacred place, such as a shrine, protected by ecclesiastical immunity. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This seconda ...

. Petre had already adopted this revolutionary approach in the

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, sometimes referred to as the Christchurch Basilica or the Catholic Cathedral, was a Catholic cathedral on Barbadoes Street in central Christchurch, New Zealand. It was the mother church of the Roman Cath ...

completed in 1905. This last stage of St Patrick's Basilica was completed in 1918, 25 years after the first foundations were laid. The final cost of the building was £13,000.

Opening

The opening ceremonies were carried on 8 December 1918. Monsignor McKay, the driving force behind the whole concept from start to finish, was by now celebrating the

golden jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali language, ...

of his ordination and on the day, was highly praised for his untiring work over so many years on the basilica project. He was presented with appropriate gifts. Two days after the official opening, Francis William Petre died on 10 December 1918.

Organ

In 1915, a highlight in the Basilica's history had been the installation of a positive pipe organ "which added greatly to the meaning of the services as well as enhancing the skills of the

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

Changes

There have been minor alterations and additions to the Basilica in the ensuing years, such as removal of the main

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

, the stone

communion rail The altar rail (also known as a communion rail or chancel rail) is a low barrier, sometimes ornate and usually made of stone, wood or metal in some combination, delimiting the chancel or the sanctuary and altar in a church, from the nave and ot ...

s, the stone

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...

, the addition of

confessional A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall where the priest from some Christian denominations sits to hear the confessions of a penitent's sins. It is the traditional venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Luther ...

s, under floor heating and the removal of the

slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...

roof and its replacement with long run iron, but these cosmetic changes have detracted little for the original design of the church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Patrick's Basilica, Oamaru 1893 establishments in New Zealand Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic places in Otago Francis Petre church buildings 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in New Zealand 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in New Zealand Roman Catholic churches completed in 1918 1893 in New Zealand 1918 in New Zealand Basilica churches in New Zealand Palladian Revival architecture Religious buildings and structures in Otago Buildings and structures in Oamaru Listed churches in New Zealand 1890s churches in New Zealand Stone churches in New Zealand