Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary
Cathedral of St Mary is a Catholic cathedral located in the city of Sydney. It is one of five Australian cathedrals to hold the honorary status of “minor basilica”, recognized as a “national shrine”. It is the most capacious (though not the tallest) church in Australia. In 2008, the cathedral was the center of World Catholic Youth Day events and was visited by Pope Benedict XVI.
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It would seem that in the modern city of Sydney, where almost everything reminds of the future, there is nothing that would transport us to medieval Gothic Europe, located in another hemisphere of the planet. But it doesn’t! It is the Cathedral of Our Lady that stands on College Street, in the heart of the City, Sydney’s business district – a very real neo-Gothic cathedral!
Panorama of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary
History of the Cathedral
Sydney was founded in 1788 as a convict settlement. Although there were many Irish Catholics among the prisoners, the free practice of Catholicism was forbidden. The opportunity to build a Catholic Church in Sydney did not arise until after 1820, when religious freedom was declared in Australia. The foundation stone of the Catholic Church was laid on October 29, 1821 by Governor Macquarie. A short time later the church was completed, it was built in the neo-Gothic style, shaped like a Latin cross. From 1842, when the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney was formed, the church began to serve as a cathedral. In 1865 a fire broke out in the cathedral, almost completely destroying it.
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Archbishop Paulding began activities to build a new cathedral. He wrote to the architect William Wardell, who had designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne and the St. John’s College building at Sydney University, asking him to create a design for the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sydney. In the letter he wrote: “Any plan, any style, something beautiful and grand.” Before the cathedral began construction, a temporary wooden chapel was erected on its site, but this also perished in the fire.
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The foundation stone of the new cathedral was laid in 1868. The construction of the gigantic building went on for a long time and in stages. In 1882, the rooms of the first phase of the building’s construction were consecrated. The construction of the main nave was completed by 1928. The richly decorated crypt was built in 1961. For many years there were no spires above the two towers of the cathedral facade, which created a sense of incompleteness. In 2000, with financial support from the national government, the spires above the towers were erected.
The architecture of St. Mary’s Cathedral is typical of the English Gothic Revival of the 19th century. The cathedral is built of golden sandstone, which has taken on a brownish hue on the outside due to weathering. Inside the building, the sandstone has retained its golden hue, which is successfully emphasized by the lighting of the temple. The cathedral is oriented from north to south, the altar part faces north. The plan of the church is traditional for English medieval cathedrals – it has the shape of a cross, over the intersection of the nave (the main building of the cathedral) and transept (side chapels) there is a bell tower. Two more towers frame the facade. The altar has a square ending. In the main facade there are three entrances to the temple, two additional entrances are in the arms of the transept.
.In the west arm of the transept is a copy of Michelangelo’s famous Pieta statue from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
.The cathedral is famous for its stained glass windows, work on which lasted more than 50 years. In total, the cathedral has about 40 stained glass windows, with images dealing with various biblical themes.
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In the first cathedral, which perished in a fire in 1865, the largest organ in Australia at the time was installed. In the new cathedral building, the organ was completed in 1942.The organ is located on the gallery above the main entrance of the cathedral.
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In the west wing is a store with Cathedral symbols.
Tourists
During the daytime, the Cathedral is guided, but on Saturday and Sunday you can attend morning or evening solemn mass, at 10.30 or 18.00 hrs. We recommend walking around it from all sides to fully enjoy the beauty of the building.
By the way, during the Christmas season, the Cathedral of Our Lady is characterized by a special, festive decoration. But be careful – it is forbidden to take photos inside the cathedral.
