ST. PATRICK'S BASILICA. SOUTH DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 8, 24 June 1898, Page 10

ST. PATRICK'S BASILICA. SOUTH DUNEDIN.

PREPARING FOR THE OPENING.— DESCRIPTION OF THE BASILICA.

Sunday next will be a gala-day in South Duned'n. After years of patient effort the beautiful basilica of St. Patrick s will be solemnly re-opened <>n next Sunday. June 26. The Pontifical High Mass will be sung by his Lordship the Bishop at 11 o'clock, assisted by priests from Sr. Joseph's Cathedral and from other parts of the diocese. The pr< a her on the occasion will be the genial and popular parish priest of Lawrence, the Very Rev. P. O'LeaTy. The preacher for the evening will be the Very Rev. Dean Mackay. of Oamaru. St. Joseph's Cathedral choir will attend in full strength, and the solemn function will be carried out to the sound of the magnificent harmonies of Mozart's 'Twelvth Mass.' A full orchestra will accompany the vocalists, and we venture to say that no such solemn and inspiring sacred music has yet been heard in South Dunedin since the days when the first houses •were built upon its foreshore. The Catholic congregation have struggled long and well, despite the fact that they are none too richly endowed with worldly wealth, to raise up the noble pile of the basilica, and they look with confidence for the active sympathy and practical support of the Catholic population of Dunedin and its vicinity. The interior of the basilica is practically complete, and with its fine dimensions,

Roman arches, solid pilasters, beautiful mouldings, and magnificent ceiling-, forms one of the most beautiful interiors that any church in New Zealand can boast of. The beautiful zinc ceiling was supplied by Messrs. Wunderlich and Co. of Sydney. We publish in this issue a view of the interior. In onr next issue we shall publish a fine perspective design of the edifice as it will be when completed. The following particulars of the new basilica have been furnished to us by the architect, Mr. F. W. Petre :—: — Another considerable stage towards the completion of this church has just been finished, with the result that the whole of the nave, aisles, transepts, and sanctuary are now. so far as their internal fittings and finish go, completed There yet remains for some future date the task of constructing the centre dome and the front, comprising the baptistry, atrium, organ loft, and colonnaded portico. The first plans for the entire building were laid before the late Bishop. Dr. Moran, by the architect, Mr. Frank W. Petre in 1890, and, after certain alterations -nd modifications, were finally approved of towards the end of IK9I, and it is from the plans then drawn that the york has been carried out up to the present point. The first start at the construction of this church was made in February 2, 1892, when the contract for the foundations and the carcase was let ti Mr. D. W. Woods, of Dunedin. The church, when finished, will comprise a sanctuary 25ft. by 20f t.. nuns' chapel 12ft. by 20ft., sacristy 1 2ft by 20ft., lobby 24ft. by rtft., transepts together 50ft. by 25ft.. surmounted by a dome carried on 32 columns the whole rising to a height from the floor to the top of the cross of 85 feet, with a diameter of 25 feet. The nave and two aisles together give a floor spread of 61ft. by 50 ft. with a ceiling

height to the nave of 43 feet and to the ai-les of 20 feet. Entering into the nave by means of two large arches is the atrium into whi<. h two pairs of entrance doors will give access from the portico. Immediately above this space which is 2">ft by 12Ft Gin. will be placed the organ loft communicating with the church by means of a large arched opening — at present bricked vp — 2ott by 12tt. Immediately to the right and left of the atrium are situated the baptistry and the organ loft each 12ft. (im. by 12tt. Oin. The portico is scmicular in plan, approached from the street level by means of a srmicircular flight ot 8 steps, the whole covering a spice ot Utt by 22ft. The root of the portico is flat having a balustraded parapet and full entablature, carried on (i stone columns e.ich 17ft high. The general style of the building is Roman, the whole of the interior being confined to the Curiuthian order, whilst the external front and portico are almost exclusively iv the more severe lonic order. To describe more minutely the internal features of the building : The sanctuary has the whole of its walls of three sides, which are 40ft high, finished in two stages, the lower being marked by a Corinthian entablature of architrave, friezed and cornue I with decorated modillions and carried on fluted Corinthian pilasters of good bold projection, all finished in Keen's cement and plaster of Paris. The upper stage has lighter pilasters carryin j a moulded ceiling cornice, and the intermeliate spaces finished iv mould< d panels, the whole done in plaster of Paiis. The arch into the transepts is 20ft wide and 40ft high with well-moulded iinpoM, moulded and decorated archvolt carried on flu ed Cjnnthi.m pilasters, the whole done ia plaster ot Paris and Ke n's cement. The altar is a pain moulded Oamaru stone alt.r table surmounted with a stone dome canopy carried ou eight colonets. The altar steps and predilla are of w hite marble, and the whole floor of the sanctuary is laid with Austrian tiles. The altar rail is of hammered iron with cedar hand rail — a very well done piece of smith's work from Mr. Faulkner's works in Dunedin. Immediately to the right and left of the high altar, and each facing one of the aisles, are two side altars, set within niches Dtt wide, finished with moulded imposts and archvolts. The ceilings of the two transepts are plaster vaulted with a view in the future of fresco painting. In between the two transepts is the internal dome, which at present is finished in plain pla3ter, but the complete plan provides for an inside painUd glass dome, (i."> feet high. The lower part of this space is divided from the transepts and nave by means of three large arches, finished with moulded imposts, archvolts, and panelled soffits, fitted with fluted pilasters on the face of the piers. The general scheme of the finish to the walls, etc.. of the nave and aisles is in the Corin-t-iian order, with piers and pilasters, surmounted with full entablatuie. There are five arches on each side of the nave passing through into the aisles, which have c irrespondingly shallow arches along the walls. On the face of the nave piers are Corinthian capped piasters, with moulded bases consisting ot full die, cornice and base ; the arches being finished with moulded impost, arehivolt, key stone, and moulded p uielled soilit-s. The entablature a ;ove the nave architrave consists ot moulile>l ar< hitrave fiieze ami moulded cornice, with dv c irated iuodilhon*> and dentels. Above this is the clerestory, con lstmg of five aiciies containing the windows, having moulded spandrils and finished with the cjiling cornice. The ceilings of the nave and aisles form a particular feature in the building, being all of zinc, richly embossed in modelled work and floral decoratiou. the whole manufactured under the Wuii'lerlich patent, by Messrs Wunderlich and Co., ot Sydney. The ceiling ot the na\e is well executed from the architect's design, and consists, of forty coffeis, w tuch are formed in between the transverse and longitudinal beams. Each coffer has a depth from the tace of the beam oi eighteen inches, with fluted and moulded coves, a centre drop of open foliage work for ventilation, Oak leaf decoration to its mouldings, and the beam sottiits are decorated with ro»et circles and dec >r.itwd foliage drops at the points of intersection ; the whol- nf thw c llmg is carried on a bold-moulded and dentled cornice. The aisle ceilings are treated flat with moulded cornice, fluted margins, and moulded diapers with oak-leaf centres. All this zinc ceiling work is painted in subdued shades of carefully chosen contract. The object of the coffer design in the nave ceiling i-> to avoid the possibility ot echo — a defect so often found with high, ilat ceilings, and in this case the result is all that can be desired, besides which the metil seems to give a greater fulness and quality to sound generally. The work of fixing this ceiling (the first of its kind in the South Island) was entrustel to Mr. Jauies Small, who has also c irried out sundry other works in connection with decorations ot the interior. It has bicn found necessary to construct a temporary organ loft ht the end of the nave, which forms the double purpose ot inside porch as well. The internal plaster work of this church is a feature in itself, and the way it has been carried out reflects great credit on Mr. Ferry of Dunedin. All the window frames, as well as the ventilating panels under each of the aisle windows are of cast iron, done by Messrs. Barningham and Co , of the Victoria Foundry in Gecr^e street. The confessional ia a very neat pie^e ot cabinet work in red pine, having moulded base, panels and pilasters, surmounted with a moulded and dentiled cornice, and finished with a carved and ) moulded pediment. It was constructed by Mr. J. J. Marlow, of St. Andrew street. The whole of the painting has been executed by Mr. C. Fottrell, and it must be admitted that he has succeeded in producing a very pleasing effect. _^^___^^^^^___