Exploring Melbourne’s Gothic Gem: A Visit to St. Patrick Cathedral.

Hey content creators from hive 👋 Last year in the same month of May, I had been to Melbourne Australia and I had spent about three months there, and it was an incredible international trip, which gave me the much-needed vacation vibes that I needed. Almost at the last days of my visit, I had decided to go and see the Saint Patrick Cathedral, which was about 20 minutes from where we were living. My uncle and cousins also accompanied us when we had gone to the prominent, Roman catholic Cathedral.

I am not into architectural style, though I very much like to see some old creatively built buildings. I’m more of a minimalistic person when it comes to architecture, so I think you could understand me a little bit more from the perspective I’m going to have as I am writing this post.

This major landmark can be seen from various points in the city and it is located at the East of Melbourne, yet it is in the central part of the city. What was really interesting and impressive? Was the stain glass windows just so beautifully lit up at the time we had visited. The sunlight illuminated the yellow stained glass windows. It gave a warmth to the interior of the cathedral’s ambiance. But why yellow? that’s the real question that kept me thinking 🤔

Yellow depicts the beautiful symbolisation of divine light and the presence of God, which would increase not just the visual impact and the filtering of light that enhances the spiritual ambience, but also a vital part in restoring the connection you have through your prayers with God.

The glass windows show different scenes from the bible, the lives of the saints and also the history of the church. The variety of colours that is blue, red, purple, green, and yellow. Each colour is significant in the Christian art, red symbolises the blood of Christ. Blue shows the representation towards the virgin Mary. Green is for hope and eternal life. Gold and white will symbolise the divinity and purity so that it can convey sacrifice and penance artistically.

These narrative windows are basically visual sermons to educate the faithfulness of the Christians and the values in a detailed storytelling manner. The silence that fills the cathedral and the storytelling windows makes the experience more surreal.

The Gothic architecture and the pointed arches, allow the Cathedral to be taller and slender, definitely pulls a viewers gaze, upwards, and above. Architecture arches definitely that are pointed out are seen as a symbolic pointing towards heaven and reflecting on the light and height as metaphor for the spiritual elevation and divine presence. It not only enhances the Grandier of the physical structure, but also the spiritual aspect within the Cathedral.

The candles are lit by the faithful as it is their devotion and show that they are praying for special intention that is personal to them and these candles are seen in front of the Altar, statue, shrine within the Cathedral. Sometimes these candles are called memorial candles when they lift in memory of the disease, loud ones, and they are designated to burn for extended period of time and it serves as a physical reminder of the players they have made for the departed.

Considering that the Cathedral is a place of worship and a reflecting atmosphere for the worship, the noise level has to be kept down to minimum. Normally, at the entrance of specific locations within the cathedral, even like the confessionals, there are silence boards that are placed. Considering it is such a historical and significant landmark, many tourist are attracted to the beauty and the faithful anre also expected to not wear inappropriate dresses as a respectful behaviour within this sacred space. It’s truly significant that the peace and quiet is maintained within such cathedrals.

The cathedral has three spears as you can see in this photo. The central spear is the biggest and the tallest while the two smaller flanking spears. The central spire is 105 m high and it makes the dominant feature of Melbourne skyline. All the spears have crosses to mark the Cathedral as a place of worship. The roof is so deeply pitched that it keeps efficient way of shedding the rainwater or even the snow. It’s quite interesting to see the building design, be so practical and yet filled with Gothic architectural principles.

Saint Catherine of siena is considered as one of the patreon saint of Italy among the six other peoples in Europe. Back in 14 century she was one of the most influential figure, who was prominent. She used to have visions of Christ and the visions are some of the mystic experiences she is known for. She even received an invisible ring as a sign of union with the Christ and it is said it’s a mystical marriage. Her life and writings continue to inspire the people around the world.

In Victoria, Melbourne, St. Patrick Cathedral flooring is of blue stones and is durable and visually striking made with volcanic rocks. It truly takes a lot of preservation efforts to ensure such rocks to be in good condition. Training and conservation work is necessary to protect from wear and tear, given the massive tourist attraction and global worshippers.

The front door is typically oak with cricket and ironwork layering with the religious motives like the crosses, angels and saints.

This seemed like the perfect spot to capture a family picture right in front of
the Saint Francis of Assisi.

The beautiful entrance of the cathedral is oh so authentic, Gothic and the fine details along with the craftmens work, the focal point, all of it just makes it so much more historical, capturing the culture, religion, and sacred moments.

The organ is currently at the gallery which was installed back in the late 19th the earliest 20th century, which is crafted by food metal, a complex system of pipes that are ranging in sizes from the smallest of the small flutes to the large reeds. It is located at the choir loft so that the sound that is projected goes throughout the entire Cathedral. The organist is also a trained musician with the right skill to play such an incredible instrument for scheduled services and concepts to showcase the wide range of versatility.

In the bottom, you can see three doors, which are kept for the confession of sins. You require a scheduled appointment in order to have a designated priest to hear the confessions. It gives a large mission to renew spiritually.

The Main entrance of Cathedral has one of the large staining glass windows that is located to make one of the feature visitors to see as they approach the building. This is the prominent place to the focal point from the exterior and the interior of the Cathedral. The windows are often reinforced with metal frameworks to ensure the durability and stability given the size and the weight of the glass over the windows may have underground restoration just to preserve the beauty and structural integrity of the windows.

The light stands are made of gold finish to give a radiant appearance. This feature is typically placed around the altar to make the eucharistic celebration more luxurious. They are often clean and polish to maintain such polish. The visual experience is to symbolise the presence of the glory of God by illuminating the cathedral and enriching the spiritual experience during the mass.

Flowers are arranged to elaborate the celebration. They serve as a collective expression of gratitude within the community. The floral arrangements are normally done by volunteers that are involve arranging them so creatively and artistically. The blooms are kept in harmony by dreaming, watering and replacing them as and when they need to be fresh and vibrant. Locally sourced seasonal flowers are normally kept in order to promote sustainability and reduce any environmental impact.

Among the cathedrals that I have visited, this one holds very differently in my heart, as I got to see an incredible extension of the peaceful and reflective vibe that is there for visitors. The landscape garden, natural stones, and lush greenery along with reflecting pool mirror, the entire stunning views of the building, which extends much more than what is already there. The continuous water flow symbolises the flowing of the divine grace and the renewal of faith.

Overall, the water feature increases the space for the gathering community to relax, reflect and enjoy the picturesque setting. The Side walkway is a good stretch for the tourist to walk about and also photograph its aesthetic site.

We visited the cathedral in the morning from around 10:30 to 11:00 AM, and stayed until noon. Despite being a short visit, it was quite a peaceful experience. I hope you enjoy reading about it. See you soon in my next post. Toodles!

Those who still don’t know me, here’s a little bit about me.

Lynn Mascarenhas is the visionary founder of "Coffee n Love," a brand born from her deep passion for fermenting diverse varieties of Robusta coffee. Since 2021, Lynn has been orchestrating coffee events across India, where she educates enthusiasts on the nuanced science of cupping. These events teach participants how to professionally taste coffee and uncover the hidden flavors within each cup. Lynn's endeavors also celebrate the Mascarenhas family's generational success in coffee production.

Additionally, Lynn oversees a family-owned coffee farm in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. Here, she meticulously processes her exceptional Robusta beans, supported by thorough research to delve into the complexities beyond the bean and the delectable essence of the cherry.