CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating a feat “almost unique in the Western world” with the re-opening of an historic Wirral church.
Ss Peter and Paul’s, in New Brighton, was shut in August, 2008, despite a huge campaign by local churchgoers.
Known as the “Dome of Home” because of its prominent position providing a landmark for sailors travelling into Liverpool Bay, the listed building has since been left idle. But next Friday, March 4, at 9.15am, the first “Celebration of Holy Mass” will be held there since it was closed.
Frank McGowan, of the campaign group Soul (Save Our Unique Landmark), said he was “hopeful about the church in the long term”.
He said: “We have a foot in the door now with this Mass. Rome have told us that it has virtually never happened in the Western world before for a church that was closed to be re-opened.
"It’s quite an amazing thing Soul has achieved, it’s a unique occasion, and much of it down to the hard work of Cath Nelson and Bill Iveson.”
