Holy Trinity Cathedral launches 200th anniversay celebrations

The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port of Spain has begun a year of celebrations of its 200th anniversary which will take place in May 2023. The theme of the celebration is Historical Voice! Theological Choice! Culturally Rejoice!

At the media launch at the cathedral on Tuesday, dean and rector of the cathedral The Very Reverend Shelley-Ann Tenia said the planned events will commemorate the hope, heritage, and cultural richness embodied by the cathedral.

Planning committee chair Dr Phaedra Pierre said the celebrations, which would cost approximately $1 million, fell into five major categories: social outreach, publications, cultural expressions, memorabilia, and the grand finale.

Social outreach activities will include a blood drive, which will begin in Tobago on November 9, with further drives throughout Trinidad; a youth chat, which took place on October 19; and Glimpses of the Cathedral – a video programme hosted by various members, old and young, on the 25th of each month; and a food bank through which the diocese hoped to distribute 200 hampers, among other initiatives. Committee member Kyle Young appealed to people to give blood as it was urgently needed.

“We are looking for partners to work with us to collect and distribute 20 hampers, so invite other organisations to match us and plant seeds and do home gardens so we can start by feeding people and then teaching them to feed themselves.”

Pierre said the cathedral will be releasing a 200-page coffee-table book, centred around the theme of the celebrations, as part of its publications.

“For those who don’t want to read such a long tome, we will also be releasing a series of shorter booklets called Snippets, documenting the history of the cathedral from its inception to our most recent additions. We will also be having essay, poetry, and art competitions in our schools.”

The cultural expressions category will include a spoken-word contest, an arts festival and pop-up market.

Pierre said many different types of memorabilia would be available, including bookmarks, a boxed set of postcards, T-shirts, a four-port USB hub, Anglican rosaries, magnets, mugs, a bicentennial plate, with the highlight being an art collection, all branded with the 200th anniversary logo.

“We have asked 12 artists to give us their interpretations of the cathedral, and these have already started coming in. These will be offered in a box set of limited-edition prints, with only 200 sets being produced. We’re also hoping to have an exhibition when Hayes Court reopens. The memorabilia will be available at a range of prices, so there will be something for everyone.”

The grand finale of the celebration will take place in two parts – with a gala dinner on June 2, 2023, and an anniversary service on June 5.

Tenia said repairs were still being done on the Cathedral itself, and the diocese was awaiting the $10 million promised in the last budget.

“The totality of the repairs was last estimated to cost $60 million, and we are awaiting a new estimate. We’re currently putting in place further protective works as, with the rainy season, previous cracks have been widened and more water has been coming into the building. I also don’t think people realise how many earthquakes we’ve had this year, and this has further widened the cracks. In addition, the termites who were living in the ground have emerged to escape the water and are making mas with their friends who were there before. There is also wood-rot present.”

Tenia said the cathedral is looking at removing stained glass, woodwork, and the organ, to place them in storage for protection.

Head cathedral tour guide Kathryn McConnie said Holy Trinity was established in 1801 as a little wooden church on the corners of Prince and Frederick Streets until it was burnt down in 1808. She said the present structure was built between 1816 and 1823, and had many stories and important structures such as the slave altar, the presidential entrance, the rose window, baptismal font, labyrinth, and garden of peace.

TT National Trust council member Mark Franco said the cathedral is a grade one listed property under the trust. He said the intention of a grade one listing is to preserve the property in its originally-constructed state as far as possible.

“The heritage tourism market globally is estimated at U$57 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow annually by 3.8 per cent to 2030. In order to offer a healthy and interesting tourism experience, we must provide buildings that are well maintained, serviced and interpreted. In the 2021/2022 budget statement, the Finance Minister proposed to provide a 150 per cent tax allowance of up to $1 million on corporate sponsorship to heritage properties under the oversight of the National Trust. It is anticipated this will encourage the maintenance and restoration of heritage properties throughout the country.”

Pierre said every contribution from corporate entities and individuals counted towards the restoration of the cathedral.