The 'Cardboard' Cathedral — properly, the Transitional Cathedral — is the temporary home of Christchurch's Anglican Cathedral community at 234 Hereford Street in the central city. While the project to reinstate the historic Cathedral in the Square is underway, this much-loved building serves as the place where the community gathers for worship, music, prayer and welcome. It has become one of Ōtautahi Christchurch's most distinctive landmarks and a natural stop for visitors exploring the rebuilt city centre.
The Cathedral's welcome is deliberately broad. As Dean Ben Truman puts it: 'Welcome to you, whoever you are – visitor, new person, regular or occasional churchgoer.' This is described as an Anglican Cathedral for everyone, for people of all faiths and none. Whether you need a place to pray, light a candle, meditate or reflect, or you simply want to drop in and see the building, you are welcome. The Cathedral is open every day until 4:00pm, or after the evening service, and a virtual tour is available for those who want to explore online first.
Life here reaches well beyond Sunday worship. Morning Prayer is said online Monday to Friday at 8.30am, services are live streamed for those who cannot attend in person, and music sits at the heart of Cathedral life through the superb Cathedral Choir, the Girl Choristers, the Cathedral Singers and the Cathedral Organ. The Cathedral also hosts baptisms, functions and events — catered by its official caterers, Moveable Feasts — alongside special services and concerts throughout the year. A shop, volunteering opportunities, the Friends of the Cathedral and the Cathedral Choir Society all offer ways to connect, and the Cathedral Ministry gratefully receives donations to support its work.
In the heart of Christchurch's central city, at 234 Hereford Street, stands one of New Zealand's most talked-about buildings: the Transitional Cathedral, known affectionately as the 'Cardboard' Cathedral. It is the temporary home of Christchurch's Anglican Cathedral community while the project to reinstate the original Cathedral in the Square is underway — a building with a story of resilience that makes it a natural stop for anyone exploring Ōtautahi Christchurch.
The welcome here is deliberately wide. Dean Ben Truman greets people in a host of languages — Kia ora, Haere mai, Welcome, Mālō e lelei, Talofa lava and more — and the message is simple: this is an Anglican Cathedral for everyone, for people of all faiths and none. Whether you are a visitor, a new person, a regular or an occasional churchgoer, you are welcome.
You do not need a reason to visit. The Cathedral is open every day until 4:00pm, or after the evening service, and people come to pray, light a candle, meditate or reflect — or simply to drop in and see the building. If you would like a preview, the website offers a virtual tour, a gallery of Cathedral life and a time-lapse video of the Cathedral's construction. Keep an eye out for the artworks around the building, including the Kahikatea Sculpture and the Risen Christ Statue.
The connection with the Cathedral in the Square remains very much alive. When a Choral Evensong was streamed from the Square, it was the first choral service to take place in the old Cathedral since the earthquakes of 2011 — a poignant reminder of the journey between the two buildings.
Music is central to life here. The Cathedral speaks proudly of its superb choir, and the music programme runs deep: the Cathedral Choir, the Girl Choristers with their own director, the Cathedral Singers, and the Cathedral Organ, supported by a dedicated music team. Music lists are published so you can see what is being sung, and special musical occasions — such as ANZAC brass lunchtime concerts — appear regularly on the Coming Up page.
Worship follows a weekly schedule published on the Cathedral's website. Morning Prayer is said online Monday to Friday at 8.30am, and if you cannot attend in person, services are live streamed with links and service sheets available online, along with recordings of previous services on YouTube. The rhythm of the year brings special services too — from an Antarctic Service to a Pet Blessing — reflecting the breadth of the community gathered here.
This is a working church as well as a landmark. Baptisms are arranged through the Cathedral, and functions and events can be held in the building, with catering provided by Moveable Feasts, the Cathedral's official caterers. There are many ways to get involved: volunteering, joining the Friends of the Cathedral or the Cathedral Choir Society, and supporting causes close to the Cathedral's heart. The Cathedral also maintains ties with the St Luke's Inner City Chaplain and The Cathedral Grammar School.
The Cathedral Shop offers a way to take a piece of the visit home, and the Cathedral Ministry — which notes it is operating with very little income at this time — gratefully receives donations, whether general gifts or contributions toward specific causes such as the reinstatement of the Cathedral in the Square. To stay in touch, you can subscribe to the Cathedral Extra newsletter or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
Whether you have five minutes or a whole afternoon, the Transitional Cathedral offers something rare: a landmark that is also a living church, holding a community's story between chapters while keeping its doors — and its choir — open to all.