History and Tour
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Welcome to the Parish of Roath Saint Martin. The Parish was created on 20 May 1903, having previously been a part of the Parish of Roath.
Worship and prayer are offered every day of the year in the beauty and simplicity of this building. The daily celebration of the Mass gives glory and praise to Almighty God and nourishes and sustains the people as they strive to live the Gospel imperatives of the Christian life.
Whether this is your first visit to the Church or you are a regular worshipper, this brief guide is designed to help you better understand the layout and contents of this house of the local church.
If you have any questions arising from this guide or attendance at one of our services, the Vicar will be pleased to meet with you and discuss these. A guided tour of the Church building can also be arranged.
We wish you God’s blessing and peace and hope you find this guide helpful.
Historical Background
During the 19th Century, the Port of Cardiff grew rapidly as coal from the mines in the South Wales valleys was exported across the world. The port and associated industries needed workers and Cardiff saw a huge inward migration of people from many different communities. Housing was built to accommodate these workers and new churches were built to meet their spiritual needs. The first church building on this site was opened in 1886 to accommodate the growing Anglican population in the Parish of Roath. It was a simple structure made of wood and iron but, being very much smaller in size than the present church, it couldn't accommodate the growing local community. The present building was begun in 1897 in a Gothic and richly decorated Victorian style and consecrated for worship on the 20 October 1901.
To see plans of the original St. Martin's church, follow this link
During February 1941, the church was bombed and very little of the original building survived intact although the Calvary did and this is preserved on the north wall at the entrance to the Holy Cross Chapel. The present St. Martin's church rose from the charred ruins in 1951 and this is the church that you see today. The new building saw the heavy decorated tracery of the earlier windows replaced with early-English type lancets, giving a more open effect, and clear glass replacing the dark green glass. The Chancel and High Altar area were also lowered considerably at the same time. The three Altars in the church are all of the same style, made of polished Bath Stone, and vary only in their size. Over recent decades, the development of the building has continued, with the inclusion of a great deal of devotional artwork by Frank Roper, representing different periods in his artistic life. The Lady Chapel Altar and statue of Our Lady and Child were additions to the church in the 1970s.
The most recent renovation to the building, in 2002/3, has been its complete rewiring, re-lighting and redecoration.
The Parish commissioned an Icon of our Patron, Saint Martin of Tours as part of the centenary celebrations of the creation of the Parish in 2003. The Icon was been painted by Brother Leo, an Orthodox layman living and working at Walsingham. Brother Leo also painted the Icon of Mary, the Mother of God of Walsingham that can also be seen in the church.
At Saint Martin’s we celebrate and teach the Christian Faith in the Catholic Tradition as received by the Church in Wales. In the 1830’s a small group of Oxford Dons was fired with fresh enthusiasm for the Gospel and concern for the Church of England. The group which included Newman, Pusey and Keble began a movement that was to cause immense upheaval within the Church. It was to have lasting influence on theology spirituality, liturgical practice and even church architecture. In essence, the members of this group re-affirmed that Church of England had, since the Protestant Reformation in the 15th Century, and in its subsequent developments in the following centuries neglected its Catholic roots and identity. The Oxford Movement, as this group was later known, would help the Church re-discover these vital roots. Scholarship and theological orthodoxy, combined with personal sanctity and holiness were seen to be the way to achieve a renewed vision for the Church. The teaching of the Oxford Movement has had its lasting influence upon the Anglican Church throughout the world.
Saint Martin’s from its first days has been a child of this movement. Here today the Catholic Faith is taught and celebrated in the beauty of traditional catholic worship. The daily celebration of Morning and Evening Prayer and the daily offering of the Mass punctuate each day of the year. This practice and celebration of the Christian faith nourishes and sustains the People of God, and brings the needs and concerns of the community and the world before God in prayer.