Dating back to 1825 but built on an ancient monastic site, St Mary's serves as the Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. The term 'Pro' Cathedral comes from the Latin phrase pro tempore meaning 'temporary or provisional' and was conferred by the Archbishop of Dublin in the 1880s. It stems from the fact that Dublin's two main cathedrals - Christ Church and St Patrick's - were originally Catholic but became Church of Ireland during the Reformation. Indeed, under Archbishop Laurence O'Toole (Dublin's patron saint), Christ Church had originally been designated by the Pope as Dublin's official Roman Catholic Cathedral. However, over the centuries, no-one has revoked this status, and the city has been left without a Catholic Cathedral to serve the majority religion. Until such times as it is elevated to Cathedral status, St Mary's will remain the Pro. The State funerals of Michael Collins and Éamon de Valera were held amid its splendid mix of Greek and Roman architecture and design. If you attend Latin Mass on Sun at 11:00, you'll hear The Palestrina Choir sing sacred hymns in this splendid setting.
