St Andrew’s Cathedral

For those who are here for the architecture, it’s a gorgeous building. It’s one of the oldest cathedrals in Australia.
As a church, it’s also lovely.
I’ve been on Sunday evenings. As it’s late considering Sunday evening prep, haven’t stuck around but sense that it’s close knit, but not exclusive. I have always left with great food for thought which is entirely connected to modern society. There is q & a at the end. I’m surprised and impressed that the parishioners are so diverse in age, background, etc as the whole thing really appeals to my ever-​questioning side.
On Wednesday evenings, they have the healing ministry. This has been such a game changer. Can’t fully articulate the positive impact this has had. For me, it is stripped of everything that’s generally put me off with church.
I love that they have people to pray with you if you wish, without it being overly touchy feely and intrusive.
I’m not going to edit this until later because I’m lazy like that.

Architecturally, this is a great building and definitely one of the important and recognizable buildings in Sydney.
Located right next to Sydney Town Hall, this cathedral is in great condition and is a unique building with great gothic design. While I didn’t get the chance to enter the cathedral, I did admire the exterior of the building. There is some seating outside so it’s a great spot to rest, eat, meet or reflect… even in the seating areas outside the cathedral, one can see the bustle of the CBD, but still feel a bit removed from everything… pretty cool!

Moses. With Horns. I’m serious, I’ll explain in a sec.
Disclaimer: this is not a review of the Cathedral as a religious institution, but as a Historical landmark. Although brought up Anglican, I am not a churchgoer and would rather stab myself in the eye repeatedly with an overheated hatpin than sit through a Peter Jensen sermon. I like my 12^th century social attitudes to stay in the 12^th century. Don’t get me started.
But Moses. With Horns. Is a sight to be seen. The cathedral (the oldest in Australia, consecrated in 1868) is dark, cool and quiet and open to the public to take a look around, and soak in the history. They also hold a lot of free music recitals here as well, from the Australian Institute of Music, and organ recitals, to the Police, Navy and Army bands.
The welcomer of the day, a very dapper older gentleman showed off their ‘greatest treasure’, a Great Bible printed in 1539, circa Henry VIII. It sits in a glass case in front of the reredos, a carved screen that sports the Moses I’m talking about. With horns.
It’s all due to a medieval typo. A translator way, way back mistranslated ‘he came down from the Mountain with the glow of a great light about him’ as ‘he came down… with horns.’ And when books were all handwritten, this mistake got repeated, and repeated for 1500 years. The sculpture here is a copy of an older one in Europe, and so the typo is set in stone. So Moses. Has Horns.
There’s also the inscriptions, tributes and war memorials on the walls to see (the two flags near the 1885 ‘Soudan’ conflict memorial positively drip antiquity), even an effigy at the front incongrously placed next to a water fountain and bin. It’s quite moving to see how people have been remembered, and check out the plaque near the flagstaff outside. It tells the amazing story of the WW2 rec and food tents set up here, they served 3 ½ million meals to ‘officers and men of the fighting forces.’