St. Mary's Cathedral

I feel like all my blog posts start out that I went out exploring one day.... But it's true.  Since I am still unable to practice as a physio here, I am using this time to learn about the city and see what it has to offer, so when everyone comes and visits next year, I'll know where I'm going and what to show you!

So I had to go back out to retake some photos for a different blog post that I was working on. I took a photography class last week Saturday, so I wanted to retry some photos.  I asked Brooks to come out with me to explore.  I did my bit that I had to redo and then we just started walking and came across St. Mary's Cathedral.  I knew before coming to Australia that it was a mostly predominately Catholic country.  I was not expecting the architecture of this Cathedral.

St. Mary's Cathedral is actually the Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians.  It is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney.  It was dedicated to the "Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians", Patroness of Australia and holds the title and dignity of a minor basilica, bestowed upon it by Pope Pius XI on 4 August 1932.

The cathedral is located in the heart of Sydney and there is high-rise development all around it from the Central Business District.

A statue by Fr John Dom Eugene Gourbeillon OSB of "Our Lady and the child Jesus", the only surviving statue from the first cathedral

Gothic Architecture

Intricate detail on side entrance. The flower details are Australian flora.

Chapel of the Sacred Heart

Statue of Our Lady, Help of Christiansin the cathedral

A reliquary containing a relic from the right hand of St Francis Xavier

Chapel of St Peter with reredos depicting Jesus entrusting St Peter with the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven

Chapel of Our Lady with stained glass windows above, the reredos features statues of influential female saints

Backside of main altar 

Baptismal Font

Baptismal Font

Stairs down to the crypt

The Unknown Soldier by G. W. Lambert

Overall it is quite an impressive cathedral.  I want to come back at night and see it all lit up.  The pictures I've seen are quite amazing.  More info on the cathedral and the history click here.