Eight Years in Exile, Then an Easter Homecoming: Antigua’s Cathedral Reopens for Worship

• St John’s Anglican Cathedral in Antigua reopened for Easter 2018 after eight years of restoration
• The congregation had worshipped at St Andrew’s Anglican Church in the meantime
• Restoration work was still continuing when services resumed
• The present building is the third church on the site

After eight years away, the congregation of St John’s Anglican Cathedral in Antigua returned home for Easter. The Antigua Observer reported on 1 April 2018 that the cathedral had reopened after an eight-year restoration project, with services held for Easter.

Valerie Gonsalves-Barreiro, the parish’s people’s warden and public relations chairman, described the homecoming. “We actually had a service last night. We processed from St. Andrew’s Anglican Church where we have been worshiping for the last eight years since the closure of the St. John’s Cathedral and after the procession we had an Easter vigil which was well attended by parishioners,” she said. The first Easter Day service followed at 6 a.m.

The report noted that restoration work was still ongoing, but the structure had been opened for Easter Sunday Mass.

The building has a long history of damage and rebuilding. The first St John’s church, built in 1681, was a simple wooden structure that was severely damaged in an earthquake in 1745. A larger church of English bricks followed in 1746. The Diocese of Antigua was established in 1842, when St John’s became its cathedral, and an earthquake in February 1843 caused serious damage.

Closing a cathedral for eight years is a major disruption for any congregation. Being able to worship at a sister church in the meantime kept the parish together while the long, costly work continued.

Jamaica’s historic churches, including those damaged by Hurricane Melissa, may face long closures during restoration. The Antigua experience shows the value of planning for where a congregation will worship during the work, keeping members informed and marking the return with celebration. Diaspora members who remember these churches can support not only the rebuilding but the congregation’s life during the years in between.

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