POPE LEO XIV has designated St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral as the official Catholic Cathedral Church of Dublin – making it the first in the capital in over 500 years.

The Pro-Cathedral on Marlborough Street – which many know as ‘the Pro’ – will now be called St Mary’s Cathedral.

The word ‘Pro’ stemmed from the latin Pro Tempore which means temporary, as the cathedral was originally built as a temporary arrangement in 1825.

It was built by Archbishop John Thomas Troy with plans to be replaced with a cathedral.

Dublin’s previous Catholic cathedrals, Christ Church and St Patrick’s cathedral, were lost during the Protestant Reformation of the 16 Century when the Church of Ireland took control of most church property.

It was then another 300 years before St Mary’s, which was meant to be a temporary cathedral, was completed.

During mass today at St Mary’s Cathedral Archbishop Dermot Farrell held up the decree designating St Mary’s as the Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese of Dublin. 

Archbishop Dermot Farrell holds up decree of Pope Leo XIV designating St Mary’s as the Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese of Dublin. Catholic Communications Office Catholic Communications Office

“May this Cathedral be a place of peace for all who cross its threshold”, he said.