St.Marks Cathedral with an illustrious address, No.1,MG Road, is an impressive landmark of namma Bengaluru. It is surrounded by famous landmarks such as Queen Victoria's Statue,Chinnaswamy Stadium,Koshys and the Bible House. Cubbon Park with its lush greenery is just opposite, and some of those beautiful flowering trees and fruit trees are also present in the church compound. A small fountain adds to the beauty of this oldest Anglican church of Bangalore. This heritage building was modelled on the lines of London's 17th century St. Paul's Cathedral, and built in 1808.
It was initially meant for worship by high ranking British officers and later civilians were allowed. Even today, a joint service is held every November by chiefs of staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force on Remembrance Day and this is a very colourful and solemn service. Reputed Chaplains like Rev. S.T.Pettigrew, Rev. Robert Posnett were credited with the founding of two very old schools, - the Bishop Cotton Boys School and St. John’s school in 1865 and 1853 respectively.
An imposing German pipe organ is the best I have ever heard during Sunday service.
The stained glass windows,pews,marble altar, imposing pillars within and the porch of grand columns,richly carved doors and of course,the magnificent dome bearing a heavy cross on the outside and gilded stars decorating it on the inside, make for a perfect place for worship.
A resource center,a parsonage,senior citizens' home,music school where the church prepares students for taking up exams conducted by the Trinity College of Music,London are located within the compound.
2 comments:
St.Marks Cathedral evokes a sense of nostalgia to me. Lived on campus from 1967 and spent 12 fantastic years growing up at none other that 1 MG road (with a snobbish air if i may
I have been married to a doll call Esther on numerous ocassions at the alter by my five year old friends after having sneaked in to play hide and seek on a week day when the church was being cleaned.
Many pastors have come and gone but the ones that have touched my life are Rev Sunder Clark, now Bishop,Rev Donald Frith, Rev K.C Abraham. Some times I wonder, do they make those kind of pastors in this day and age or are they an extinct species.
I could write a book based on my growing up years at St.Marks and my schooling at Bishop's Cottens.
May be I can attribute my still moderately sane outlook to life to the very presence of a historic cathedral being a big part of my formative years. Its not only reaffirmed my faith but given me an immortal landmark to which I can keep going back to relive the wonder years.
Thanks Naveen,for sharing your thoughts on St.Marks Cathedral.
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