Christ Church Cathedral, Nassau

Christ Church Cathedral stands on the site of Nassau’s earliest Anglican place of worship, with the first church recorded here in 1670. As you approach the building, you are standing on ground that has been used for Christian worship for more than three centuries. Earlier churches on this site were repeatedly destroyed, including during Spanish raids in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Over time, rebuilding progressed from simple wooden structures to more durable stone.

The present cathedral, completed in 1841, faces the surrounding streets with a restrained, symmetrical facade. When Nassau was granted city status in 1861, the church was elevated to cathedral status and became the seat of the Anglican Diocese of Nassau and the Bahamas. As part of the Anglican Communion, it follows traditions closely related to those of the Episcopal Church.

Before entering, take note of the square stone tower and the light-colored exterior, both characteristic of Victorian Gothic Revival design. Inside, toward the back of the sanctuary, you’ll find the wooden baptismal font. Look closely near its base for a small carved mouse left by a British craftsman and now one of the cathedral’s most talked-about curiosities.

As you move along the nave, the stained-glass windows reflect different periods in the cathedral’s history. The east window, depicting the Crucifixion, was dedicated in 1949 and anchors the sanctuary visually. Along the side walls, the windows were hand-crafted and installed during a major refurbishment in the 1990s by the Statesville Stained Glass Company, continuing the tradition of stained glass in a modern context. Mounted along the interior walls are memorial tablets dedicated to prominent Nassau residents of the 18th and 19th centuries, many connected to maritime trade, colonial administration, or church life.

After exiting, spend a moment in the churchyard, one of the oldest continuously used religious sites in The Bahamas.