A Tour of the London Oratory: St. Patrick's Chapel

Next to the chapel of St. Mary Magdalene, nearest to the narthex, is the chapel of St. Patrick which was erected for the Confraternity of St. Patrick, founded by Fr. Frederick William Faber in 1856.

The altar itself was brought from Naples and the reredos was, once again, designed by Hubert Gribble.

Central in the reredos is an image of St. Patrick, surrounded by two other Celtic saints, St. Brigid and St. Columba. These were executed by Pietro Pezzati, an 19th century Italian artist from Florence.

To either side of the reredos are two painted images showing the Presentation and Circumcision which are thought to be by the 16th century Flemish artist, Frans Francken -- the former now, however, being a replica as the original was stolen in the the early 1980's.



The walls of the chapel are made from Irish marble, and the Communion rail is decorated with shamrocks and snakes.