Location Pearse St., Dublin Denomination Pentecostal Website www.stmarks.ie Opened 1757 Province Leinster | Country Ireland Previous denomination Church of Ireland Founded 25 April 1757 Phone +353 1 671 4276 Dedication Mark the Evangelist | |
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Address 42A Pearse St, Dublin, DUBLIN 2, Ireland Similar St Bartholomew's Church, St Ann's Church - Dawson, St Catherine's Church, St Werburgh's Church, St Michan's Church | ||
St. Mark's Church is a Pentecostal church in Dublin, Ireland. It was previously a Church of Ireland parish church. It is located in Mark St., off Pearse Street, to the east of Trinity College.
Contents
The church
The church is a large building surrounded by a grassy churchyard, and was erected in the 1750s off what was then Great Brunswick St. (now Pearse St.). It was consecrated by the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Charles Cobbe, on St Mark's day (25 April) 1757.
St. Mark's closed in 1971. Its contents were distributed throughout the Church of Ireland, and the parish records were transferred to the Representative Church Body. After its closure the building was purchased by Trinity College, Dublin which used it occasionally for exams and lectures.
The church was purchased by the Family Worship Centre, a Pentecostal assembly, in 1987, renovated, and re-opened as a place of worship.
The parish
The parish was cut off from that of St. Andrew by Act of Parliament in 1707. It corresponded to the civil parish of the same name.
The churchyard
The church was surrounded on three sides by a churchyard which contained a large number of graves. In the 18th and early 19th centuries it was a favourite target of body snatchers, owing to its proximity to Trinity College, which taught medicine. A wall was built around the churchyard to try to prevent access. In 1892-3 the wall was removed and a railing substituted.
Parishioners
Perhaps the most celebrated person associated with St. Marks is Oscar Wilde, who was baptised in the church. Olympic gold medalist Katie Taylor is a member of the congregation.