The Cathedral Church of Christ Marina, Lagos is an

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

cathedral on Lagos Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

History

The foundation stone for the first cathedral building was laid on 29 March 1867 and the cathedral was established in 1869. The cathedral celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017. Construction of the current building to designs by architect Bagan Benjamin started on 1 November 1924. The foundation stone was laid by the Prince of Wales (later

King Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India, from 20 January ...

) on 21 April 1925. It was completed in 1946. In 1976 the relics of Rev Dr Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a former enslaved Yoruba man who became the first African bishop in the Anglican Church, were translated to the cathedral. There is a

cenotaph A cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although t ...

erected as a memorial of him. It is popularly known as the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina, and is the oldest Anglican cathedral in the

Church of Nigeria The Church of Nigeria is the Anglicanism, Anglican Church body, church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest Province (Anglican), province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptised membership (not by attendance), after the Church of Englan ...

. At various times in its history, the cathedral was the seat of the archbishop of the Province of West Africa, the seat of the archbishop and primate of All Nigeria and the seat of the archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos. It is currently the seat of the Bishop of Lagos. The organ was built by Oberlinger Orgelbau, Germany on right side of the altar with two façades – one looking to the altar and second looking to the right nave. One of the sections, Antiphonal, is located at the organ loft above the main entrance to the church. At the beginning of 21st century the whole instrument was renewed (and console rebuilt) by English company Harrison & Harrison; it consists 64 stops on 4 manuals and a pedalboard. It is the largest organ in Nigeria.

Notable events

In 1969, then president of Nigeria, Yakubu Gowon married Miss Victoria Zakari, at a ceremony officiated by Seth Irunsewe Kale at the Cathedral. The cathedral hosted the funeral of Engineer Victor Adetunji Haffner (1919-2015), the telecommunications engineer in Nigeria, on Friday, November 27, 2015. Celebrating the Centennial of the Cathedral Church of Christ Choir, Lagos, Nigeria: 1918–2018 on November 23, 1918. The funeral of Chief Mrs. Florence Morenike Saraki, mother of former Nigerian Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was held at the cathedral on Friday, July 19th, 2024.

Gallery

The Cathedral Church of Christ Marina..jpg Cathedral Church Of Christ, Marina, Lagos.jpg, Interior of Church of Christ The Cathedral Church of Christ Marina, Lagos..jpg Cathedral church of christ (19172528434).jpg, The building and streetside of the cathedral The cathedral (16878409017).jpg Front View of Cathedral Church of Christ, CMS Lagos.jpg, A front View The Cathedral at CMS, Lagos A side View The Cathedral at CMS, Lagos.jpg, Side view of The Cathedral at CMS, Lagos Lagos Cathedral, Marina, Lagos Island.jpg Lagos Cathedral, Marina.jpg Lagos Island, Marina.jpg Wikipedia walkout 053.jpg Christ Church Cathedral, Lagos.jpg Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, Island.jpg

References

External links

Anglican cathedrals in Africa Anglican church buildings in Nigeria George Buildings and structures in Lagos Lagos Island Landmarks in Lagos Religion in Lagos Cathedrals in Nigeria Gothic architecture in Nigeria 1924 establishments in Africa Churches completed in 1946 20th-century Anglican church buildings 20th-century churches in Nigeria Churches completed in 1869 19th-century Anglican church buildings 19th-century religious buildings and structures in Nigeria 1860s establishments in Lagos Colony 19th-century churches in Africa {{Anglican-stub