POLICE and clergy have expressed their shock after Liverpool’s iconic Catholic cathedral was vandalised during a burglary.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King – known locally as Paddy’s Wigwam because of its distinctive conical shape – was targeted in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Collection containers were damaged and the money inside stolen, while two specially-made glass installations were smashed beyond repair.
Collection containers were damaged during the burglary [Image: Merseyside Police]“Two images in glass, specially made for the cathedral, have been smashed beyond repair and may be impossible to replace.
“People from throughout the world visit the cathedral and those here this morning have been both shocked and horrified at what has taken place."
The burglary was discovered when an intruder alarm was activated at around 2.45am on Wednesday.
The perpetrators forced entry through a flat roof near the front entrance facing Hope Street, then an interior door.
Merseyside Police have appealed for witnesses while a forensic examination is being carried out and CCTV examined.
As well as damage to the church, money was taken from collection containers [Image: Merseyside Police]"It defies belief that thieves have stolen from a place of worship, causing damage to such a well-valued building that will take time and money to repair.
"I would appeal to anyone who has information to contact us so we can find those responsible."
Designed by architect Frederick Gibberd, the long-mooted cathedral was eventually built between 1962–1967 to accommodate Liverpool’s large Irish Catholic population.
A previous attempt to construct a church on the site, based on a design by Sir Edward Lutyens, was abandoned in 1941 due to wartime restrictions and spiraling costs, with only the crypt finished in 1958.
The largest Catholic cathedral in England, it is one of the city’s top tourist attractions and had over 345,000 visitors in 2015.
