- St Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore
Saint Andrew's Cathedral (zh-sp|s=圣安德烈座堂|p=Shèng Āndéliè Zuòtáng) is an
Anglican cathedral inSingapore , the country's largest cathedral. It is located near City Hall MRT Interchange in theDowntown Core , within the Central Area in Singapore'scentral business district . It is the Cathedral church of theAnglican Diocese of Singapore and the mother church of her 26 parishes and more than 55 congregations here. The logo of the Cathedral is the St Andrew's Cross. The Year 2006 marks the 150th Anniversary of the St Andrew's Church Mission since 1856.History
Designed by
George Drumgoole Coleman , the original Saint Andrew's Church was built from 1835 to 1836. The second Church of Saint Andrew was designed byJohn Turnbull Thomson and built incirca 1842. Rumours of unhappyspirit s and damage caused by twolightning strikes in 1845 and 1849 resulted in its closure in 1852 and subsequent demolition in 1855.Colonel Ronald MacPherson , the ExecutiveEngineer and Superintendent ofconvict s, designed the new church. To cut costs,India n convict labour was used, as it was for many buildings of the day. The RightReverend Daniel Wilson, LordBishop ofCalcutta , laid thefoundation stone on4 March 1856 , and the first service was held on1 October 1861 . The Right Reverend G.E.L. Cotton, who succeeded Daniel Wilson, had the honour of consecrating the cathedral on25 January 1862 . In 1869, it was transferred from the jurisdiction of Calcutta to theDiocese ofLabuan andSarawak and, in 1870,Archdeacon John Alleyne Beckles consecrated it as the Cathedral Church of the United Diocese.Saint Andrew's Cathedral is owned by the
Synod of the Diocese of Singapore, and is a centre for Singapore'sAnglican Mission. In 1856, Saint Andrew's Mission launched the firstAnglican evangelicaloutreach in Singapore. The first Anglican bishop, The Right Reverend J. Ferguson-Davie was appointed in 1909.In 1942, shortly before the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, the cathedral served as an emergency
hospital .An
archaeological excavation was held on its grounds in 2004 by theNational University of Singapore .Saint Andrew's Cathedral was
gazette d as a national monument on6 July 1973 .Architecture
The first cathedral was designed in the
Palladian style by George Drumgoole Coleman, anarchitect who contributed to many of the important buildings of early colonial Singapore.The second cathedral designed by J.T. Thomson had a
tower andspire but they were notarchitectural ly very satisfactory, and was demolished subsequently after two lightning strikes.The third, and existing, cathedral was built by Indian convicts. Ronald MacPherson's design for the church, which was consecrated as a cathedral in 1870, has some good qualities and makes a prominent contribution to the Padang and Singapore's skyline. It was constructed in a
Neo-Gothic architectural style, and was finished withMadras "chunam". The architect is said to have drawn inspiration for aspects of the design fromNetley Abbey , a ruined thirteenth century church inHampshire ,England . The piers of thenave of Saint Andrew's closely resemble the surviving piers at Netley.Three
stained glass windows dedicated toSir Stamford Raffles ;John Crawfurd , the first Major Resident of Singapore; andMajor General William Butterworth,Governor of the Straits Settlements fill theapse . MacPherson is remembered in the grey and redgranite memorialmonument surmounted by aMaltese cross in the grounds and by thestained glass window over the big west door. Jalan Klapa was renamedMacPherson Road in remembrance of his work.Saint Andrew's Cathedral expresses its affiliation with the
Anglican Communion inEngland through three symbolic objects. Set in a pillar by thelectern , the Canterbury Stone engraved with a bronze cross was presented by theMetropolitan Cathedral Church ofCanterbury and is a sign of Saint Andrew's allegiance to the See of Canterbury . On thecolumn that supports thepulpit is the Coventry Cross, made from twosilver -platediron nails from the ruins of the 14th centuryCoventry Cathedral . TheCoronation Carpet in the EpiphanyChapel is a portion of theflax en carpet that was used for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II inWestminster Abbey .Gallery
ee also
*
Anglican Diocese of Singapore References
*National Heritage Board (2002), "Singapore's 100 Historic Places", Archipelago Press, ISBN 981-4068-23-3
*Norman Edwards, Peter Keys (1996), "Singapore - A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places", Times Books International, ISBN 9971-65-231-5
*"Insight City Guide: Singapore"External links
* [http://www.livingstreams.org.sg/sac St Andrew's Cathedral Online]
* [http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/what_to_see/places_of_worship/st_andrew_s_cathedral.html Uniquely Singapore article]
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