Philatelic Photograph: Christ Church Cathedral - Nassau, Bahamas

Christ Church Cathedral

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.642; W 077° 20.662

Short Description: 

Christ Church Cathedral is located at George Street between Bay and Duke Streets in downtown Nassau.

Long Description:

Christ Church Cathedral is the "Mother Church" of all of the Anglican churches in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The first church building for the Parish of Christ Church was built near the present site between 1670 and 1684. In 1754 the wooden church was replaced by a church built in the Gothic style of locally quarried limestone blocks. The characteristic square tower was built in 1830 to replace a steeple that had become too dangerous.

Entrance

In 1834, the legislature passed an Act to enlarge the church and connected it to the square tower. Construction was completed in 1841. In 1861, the church building was extended eastward to include the present sanctuary and part of the choir. This represents the fifth version of the church. In the same year Nassau became a city and the Christ Church Parish Church became a Cathedral.

The east window which depict the Crucifixion in the center panel, the Empty Tomb and the Ascension in the two side panels was made in France by M. Fassi-Cadet of Nice and was a gift from Charles A. Munroe, an American who spent many years in the Bahamas. They were given in memory of his son, Lieutenant Logan Munroe, who died in active duty in the Second World War in the South Pacific on June 16th, 1945. The windows were unveiled and dedicated in March, 1949.

East Window

During the 1990's the pews were replaced with mahogany replicas of the original pews. The cement floor was covered with granite tiles imported from Italy. Hand crafted stained-glass windows were installed on the on the northern and southern sides of the Cathedral.

The stamp was issued by the Bahamas in 1962 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the City of Nassau (1861 - 1961).