London - Pope Francis has granted "co-cathedral status" to a church in the United Kingdom, marking the first such occurrence in the history of the British Isles.

The Church of St. Mary of the Isle, situated in Douglas on the Isle of Man, has earned this unique status subsequent to the formal recognition of Douglas as a city during the platinum jubilee festivities of the late Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022.

St. Mary of the Isle will now share co-cathedral status with Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Although these two cathedrals are separated by 80 miles and the Irish Sea, they both fall under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

Co-cathedrals are a rarity in the Catholic Church and are established when two dioceses, each with its own cathedral, merge or when a single diocese spans two distinct civil jurisdictions, as is the case with the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

Monsignor John Devine, the parish priest of St. Mary of the Isle, expressed his delight that the process of gaining co-cathedral recognition, which lasted a full year, has come to fruition. In a statement from the Catholic Bishops Conference for England and Wales on September 22, he shared his joy, saying, "I am delighted that St. Mary of the Isle has been granted cathedral status; it is wonderful news for Catholics across the island."

Devine recounted that the initiative began when Douglas Borough Council approached him, recognizing that cities typically have cathedrals and the island already boasts an Anglican cathedral on its west coast. They inquired about the possibility of elevating the Church of St. Mary of the Isle in Douglas to cathedral status.

Explaining the process, Devine noted, "The archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon, on the advice of canon lawyers, petitioned the Holy Father, a request supported by both the Anglican bishop of Sodor and Man, the chief executive of Douglas Council, and the president of Tynwald."

Archbishop McMahon, in the same press statement, expressed great joy at the granting of cathedral status to St. Mary of the Isle, emphasizing the significance of the Isle of Man within their archdiocese. He noted the island's diverse Catholic community, with parishioners hailing from various parts of the world, and highlighted the rarity of co-cathedral status in the Catholic Church.

Devine also remarked that the Isle of Man has a "unique faith story," with roots tracing back to St. Patrick and St. Maughold in the fifth century. He noted that the Manx Church's history and traditions are not widely appreciated in the rest of the archdiocese, but the granting of co-cathedral status to St. Mary's will raise awareness of the richness of the Manx church in Liverpool.

Devine added that having the archbishop's seat at St. Mary's will serve as a reminder to the people of the island that the archbishop of Liverpool is also their archbishop.

The Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency located between Great Britain and Ireland, has a population of approximately 84,000 people.