Visit to St George’s Cathedral

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Thursday, 17 March 2011
Written by Judith Gordon
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Judith Gordon was our very interesting and informative lecturer on both visits to the Cathedral.  A wonderful lady with a delightful sense of humour and an abundance of knowledge on the history of the Cathedral, that can’t help but overflow into interesting little anecdotes about the building, the beautiful stained glass windows and the fascinating artefacts and furnishings that make the Cathedral so interesting.  Judith has an intimate knowledge of every nook and cranny and is captivating to listen to.

 

Twenty four CTGA members joined the first visit and 17 were on the second visit.  All members thoroughly enjoyed their morning, which ended with a visit to the Crypt, followed by very nice snacks and coffee in the Crypt restaurant.

For those of you who would like to join a lecture tour of the Cathedral, you may contact Judith on 021 424 73604, or email timgordon@global.co.za – a great idea when your visitors need to fill in an hour in town.  If you book in advance Judith will give a tour for R20 a person, which goes into the Cathedral funds.  Her tour will take you through the Cathedral, following the route set out below.  You could, of course, do this yourself, but it won’t be nearly so interesting.

A Walk Around St George's Cathedral

Background (for non-Anglicans)
Anglican Cathedral (not Roman Catholic)
  • Anglican, formerly Church of the Province of Southern Africa (headquarters in Canterbury, UK), also Church Of England. Roots in England: Henry VIII broke away from Roman Catholic Church – Act of Supremacy 1534
  • Cathedral, from Greek cathedra = seat (katha = down hedra = seat). Not necessarily big.   Place where the bishop puts his chair. (2 thrones here.) Hierarchical church: archbishop, bishops, deans, canons, priests, deacons. Definite order. Leaders try to discern the will of God.

This is Metropolitan Church of the Anglican congregation in Southern Africa, therefore big and beautiful. Echoes of cathedrals in Europe:

  • Cruciform shape (High Altar at East End)
  • Very high roof: prayers ascend to God Archbishop Tutu’s words spoken on 12 May 1996 sum up the experience of many who have visited St George’s Cathedral or found there a spiritual home. “This cathedral is a magnificent place of worship, prayer and adoration .. It is a prayed-in place; it has the odour of much fervent prayer. It is there in the air you breathe in this place; it is there impregnating the entire fabric of this building; you can sniff it. The cathedral has atmosphere; it is numinous because it is a holy place and you and those who have gone before you here have contributed to it all.”
  • Made of stone. Neil Black – master mason. Architect Sir Herbert Baker, then Revel Fox.
  • 3 Side Chapels – Lady, St John’s, St David’s
  • Areas named as follows:
    • Nave (navis = ship)
    • Choir then Chancel  Chancel raised above the nave. 
    • Apse, surrounding High Altar (rounded)
    • Transepts (north and south, trans = cross)

Each part has its own function:

  • Link: meeting place, overflow congregation
  • Nave: main seating area
  • N + S aisles: movement, extra seating
  • N transept: font, African Madonna, stands for candles 
  • S transept: gallery, more seating
  • Side chapels: for smaller services, more intimate

During our tour, what are you looking at and for?

  1. Architecture
  2. Stained glass windows
  3. Usual features: font, pulpit, lectern, choir stalls
  4. Unusual feature: Archbishop’s throne
  5. Decorations (pictures, sculptures)
  6. Historical links

The Link

Old Cathedral opened 21/12/1834 – faced St George’s Street: 6 columns – trees mark their places. Based on St Pancras’s Church, London. Rectangular. Ball + cross on spire.

Axis swung round 90?: foundation stone of new cathedral laid 1901 by the Duke of York (later George V). Sir Herbert Baker designed main building.

Shape of crucifix (cruciform): nave, north and south transepts form short side, altar in apse (east). 2 stained glass windows from old cathedral – 2 of a set of 8 done by Meyer of Munich. Painted glass in lead. 

RHS: memorial to Robert Gray, first bishop of Cape Town (Arrived 1848 with wife, Sophy.)

LHS: the Last Supper but only 11 disciples. (Judas is there with his bag of silver.)

Boards: Deans – in charge of cathedral, Bishops, Archbishops. Present Archbishop is Thabo Makgoba.

Model: Main Cathedral, the Link, the Bell Tower, design for Chapter House by Revel Fox.

Plaque commemorating visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, 21 March 1995 – first Human Rights Day.

North Aisle

4 windows by Francis Spear: the Nativity, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension. Memorial in the stonework to Neil Black, skilled master mason, responsible for North Transept and Aisle. Simple tribute – he was a humble man.

Platform

Great North Window, or Africa Window, dedicated by Archbishop Geoffrey Clayton in 1951, then the largest stained glass window in the southern hemisphere.

  • 3 centre panels: flight of the Holy Family into Egypt
  • top centre: Mary teaching Jesus to walk in Egypt

Right to left:

    • Charles Mackenzie, founded Church in Central Africa
    • Angela Burdett-Coutts, endowed the See of Cape Town (above in cartouche is Neil Black)
    • Bernard Mzeki, trained as catechist, confirmed in Cape Town, first African Martyr (near Marondera)
    • Sophy Gray: helped to establish over 50 churches, and provided designs for 40, e.g. St Paul’s Church Eerste Rivier, St Saviour’s Claremont (where the Grays are buried) 

Loire window: Christ in the shape of a chalice, His mother, Mary and her mother, Anne. Left light: outline of Cape Peninsula, Star of Good Hope, the anchor.

Rose window: Te Deum window: Christ in Majesty, clothed in purple. Petals: Cherubim (blue) (part of Jewish angelic host), Seraphim (red) (highest known rank of angels): “with all the company of heaven.”

Perimeter 9 – 12: Apostles, 12 – 3 Prophets, 3 – 6: Martyrs, 6 – 9: Saints.

Pulpit and lectern: presented in memory of the wreck of the mailship, RMS Drummond Castle, sank off Ushant (island in the English Channel) on 16 June 1896. 251 people died, including Charles Stephens and his wife: he was churchwarden of the cathedral. Pulpit made in England of carved oak: figures depict St James, Jesus and St John.

North Transept

The African Madonna by Underwood: important work of art. Lighting of candles: changing darkness into light, remembering the dead

The children’s gallery

Stone font made of granite

St John's Chapel

Altar painting: copy by Henry Duke of Vincenzo Foppa’s Adoration of the Magi in National Gallery, London

(Perspective – people with horses, city in distance, also star.)

3 Wise Men (Magi) offer their gifts to the baby.

LHS window – John the Baptist as a child

Wall memorial to Alfred Lord Milner

Bronze effigy of William West Jones, empty tomb. He was the first Archbishop – founder of this cathedral.

Bronze chandelier – copy of one in dining room of Groot Constantia given by the Earl of Clarendon, Governor-General, in memory of his son, Lord Hyde – killed in shooting accident in Kimberley, aged 28.

The Sanctuary

High altar – of black marble from Jerusalem. Memorial to Sir Thomas Maclear, Astronomer-Royal. 5 stone crosses from Jerusalem inlaid.

Original cathedra (chair) of Robert Gray (word cathedral)

Archbishop’s throne: canopy made from choir screen of Westminster Abbey

Rood (pelican – sacrifice)

Windows: the visit of the Wise Men/visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon 

Baptism of Jesus/passage through the Red Sea

Temptation in the wilderness/temptation of Eve

Institution of Holy Eucharist/gift of manna

Red marble square – memorial to Geoffrey Hare Clayton: he wished to be buried “where everyone was welcome”. Died 1957.

Stalls – of stinkwood. Front: boys, next – men, next – dignitaries, e.g. canons, priests.

Arms of the dioceses of Southern Africa (CT on the throne)

Organ given by W.H. Baxter of Leeds. Was in St Margaret’s, Westminster. 3500 pipes. Installed 1909.

Leo Theron windows given by Mary Thomas: symbolise Eucharist and Baptism. 

St David's Chapel

Military: memorial to those who died in the S African War

Memorial Book records names of 27000 men who died

Coptic cross (bronze) NOT earlier than 15th century

Found on battlefield after destruction of Magdala in Abyssinia 1868

Regimental colours (these flags must be left to decay here)

South Transept

Memorial to King George VI, first reigning British monarch to visit SA in 1947. Shown to the Queen, his daughter. 

Triptych painted by Lady Wheeler: had it coated with the whites of several hundred eggs – not to be polished.

Lady Chapel

1962. Pieta window – Francis Spear. Reserve sacrament.

The Labyrinth

Follows the one in Chartres Cathedral.

Developed when pilgrimages to the holy Land were no longer possible: now you pray with your feet.

One way in and out: not a maze. Symbolises our life.

Centre: 6 petals: one interpretation; earth with minerals, plants, animals, people, saints, God/ the Other.

Great West Window

By Gabriel Loire. Used “slab glass” – brilliant, could be chipped into shape. Framed in cement, reinforced by a metal frame. Panels are self-supporting.

Christ in triumph over darkness in memory of Earl Mountbatten (died August 1979.) Centre light erected 1982, side lights 2001 (for centenary – 1901 foundation).

Centre panel: twirls represent waves in storm at sea. Jesus stills them: lines on LHS.

Golden calf: idolatry. Lazarus rising from the tomb. Loaves and fishes. Figure with crutch – healing.

Redeeming actions of Christ in co-operation with ordinary men and women.

LH panel shows Chartres Cathedral and St George’s. Barbed wire for apartheid. Crosses. Musical staves.

RH panel: Mahatma Gandhi (association with Mountbatten), tribute to King’s inter-faith co-operation. Jewish Star of David in centre of light. Bottom coats of arms: Mountbatten and the Naval Officers’ Association.

The Great West Window (more detail)

Designed by Gabriel Loire (1904 – 1996): workshop stands beneath the spires of Chartres Cathedral

    1. Central panel (1983)

      The redeeming action of Christ calls forth a response from human beings.

      • In memory of Earl Mountbatten of Burma (died 27 August 1979)
      • Dominated by triumphant Christ with outstretched hands: his power to overcome evil in its many forms
      • Below this – 12 panels: the redeeming actions of Christ in cooperation with ordinary men and women – transformation of individuals and society.
      Straight, calm waves   Circular, stormy waves
      Mary Magdalene (those who through their relationship with Christ overcome their human sinfulness) Circular wave turns into straight wave Circular, stormy waves
          Miracle of loaves and fishes
          Healing of man who couldn’t walk (crutches)
    2. Left hand panel (2001) St George

      Virtues of justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance encourage every person to make them their own.

      • Top centre: Star of light
      • Above left (far): justice (shield with scales)
      • Above right (far): prudence (shield with serpent)
      • Above left (near): fortitude (shield with St Paul’s sword of faith)
      • Below right: temperance (shield containing, calm, gently rippling water)
      • Coming out of star- spear of light (the light of the Word)
      • Bottom 4 panels
      Spires of Chartres Cathedral behind St George’s, vertical shafts of the light of the Word Crosses of sacrifice 
      Barbed wire of oppression Notes of music – universal harmony

      This focus on prophetic word and transforming music, on the symbolic importance of the building and the opening-up of redemptive possibilities is a direct tribute to Ted King’s ministry as Dean, to his skills as preacher and writer, to his encouragement of music and the ministry of challenge.

    3. Right hand panel (2001) St Michael

      The conquering of evil through non-violence.

      • Top centre: Jewish Star of David
      • Shields symbolising the three great virtues which motivate non-violent way of living:
        • Faith (chalice, top right of star)
        • Hope (anchor, bottom left of star)
        • Love (heart, bottom right of star)
      • Beast with seven heads, the seven deadly sins: 

        pride, covetousness, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, sloth

      • Dove, all-conquering spirit of peace
      • Bottom 4 panels

      Temples and mosques – tribute to inter-faith cooperation central to Ted King’s vision of the Cathedral.Mahatma Gandhi: associated with Mountbatten in India, thrown off a train in PMB – led to passive resistance to apartheid

      Coats of arms of Mountbatten and of the Naval Officers AssociationCoats of arms of Mountbatten and of the Naval Officers Association