S2 E07 • The Art of Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral

In the second of two episodes exploring the vibrant artworks of Liverpool’s cathedrals, David Trigg is joined by Laura Moffatt for a tour of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, the largest Catholic cathedral in England.

They are joined by Terry Duffy, former organist and Director of Music at the cathedral, and Dominic Wilkinson, architect and principal lecturer in architecture at Liverpool John Moores University.

Designed by Frederick Gibberd and built between 1962 and 1967, the strikingly modern cathedral commands the Liverpool skyline. Our tour begins with William Mitchell's concrete bell tower and large sliding doors decorated with fantastical winged creatures. Inside, we discuss the Lantern Tower, designed by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens, and Elisabeth Frink's bronze crucifix.

In the Blessed Sacrament Chapel are works by Ceri Richards and Arthur Dooley, while in the Lady Chapel is Robert Brumby's Virgin and Child and Margaret Traherne's coloured windows. George Mayer-Marton's Pentecost mosaic is displayed in the Chapel of Unity, and in the Chapel of St Joseph we find scenes from the life of St Joseph carved directly into the walls by Stephen Foster. Interspersed between the chapels is a series of 14 bronze Stations of the Cross by Sean Rice, who also produced a remarkable sculpture of Abraham, ‘Our Father in Faith’ with which we end our tour.