Date of Review: I attended the 9:15 am weekday mass on December 28, 2022, presided by Bishop Carmelo Zammit.
Architecture: Originally built during the Reconquista by the Spanish Monarchs, and dedicated in 1462, it has been modified several times, including a significant rebuild in the late 18th and early 19th century to repair damage from the Spanish/French Great Siege of Gibraltar in the late 1770s and early 1780s during the American revolution. This rebuild also allowed Gibraltar’s Main Street to be rerouted to a more straight road. The Cathedral is the only Catholic institution in Gibraltar to remain active through the all the conquests, including in 1704 when Gibraltar was taken over by the British.
Celebrant(s): The Bishop presided and proclaimed the Gospel.
Congregation: Fairly good attendance for one of the Cathedral’s three daily weekday masses.
Decor: Nicely decorated given the size. I didn’t capture the a picture of the creche, which was very nice.
Location: On Main Street between the city center and the cable car to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar.
Musicians: Limited given that it was a weekday mass. The bishop said they planned to have the choir at the noon mass on Friday, but too many of the choir members had contracted COVID to allow it.
Volunteers: Lector was about it.
Overall: Not worth going out of your way for, but the story behind the Cathedral and it’s role in the world’s smallest Catholic Diocese (6 square km), it’s worth stopping into if you’re in town.
American Cathedral Tour 