The Church

What is The Church? The church is the community of God’s people who accept Christ as Lord and Saviour, believe his teachings and are united by his Spirit into one Body. Wherever there is a section of that community living and worshipping, there is the Church. If every cathedral, church, monastery and school were to be destroyed, the Church would continue to exist.

Roman Catholicism in practiced by about 4.6% of Singapore’s populace, or about 210,000 people. Roman Catholicism is practiced by people of Chinese (including Peranakan) and Eurasian descent, along with a Filipino, Indian and European minority.

The Cathedral of The Good Shepherd (Chinese: 善牧主教座堂) is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore. It is Singapore’s first purpose-built Catholic church. It was built between 1843 and 1847 and was consecrated a Cathedral on 14 February 1897. The photographs below shows the interior of the church, the nave, gallery and the spiral staircase. Other photographs of the church can be found in other posts as given in the links below this post.

Upon entering the cathedral through the centre door at the main entrance, you can see the statues of Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Francis Xavier, the four cast iron Composite columns supporting the gallery, and the two cast iron spiral staircases leading to the gallery. Nearby to the left sits a statue of the Pietà and a statue of Saint Joseph stands at the other end.

The cathedral’s interior showing the nave and timber ceiling

The cathedral’s interior showing the gallery

As I was carrying Isaac, I did not go up the spiral staircase (which is so narrow and steep). Clara went up and told me it was closed. According to Wikipedia, the gallery, which is closed to public access, houses the Gallery Organ, a grand piano, a statue of Saint Cecilia and a trumpeting angel.

One of the beautiful Spiral staircase on the right of the church

There are 31 Roman Catholic churches in Singapore:

1. Cathedral of The Good Shepherd
2. Church of Saints Peter and Paul
3. Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
4. St Joseph’s Church
5. Church of St Bernadette
6. Church of St Michael
7. Church of St Teresa
8. Church of the Sacred Heart
9. Novena Church
10. Church of the Holy Family
11. Church of the Holy Trinity
12. Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
13. Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace
14. Church of St Stephen
15. Blessed Sacrament Church
16. Church of St Francis of Assisi
17. Church of St Ignatius
18. Church of St Mary of the Angels
19. Church of the Holy Cross
20. Church of Christ the King
21. Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea
22. Church of St Anthony
23. Church of the Holy Spirit
24. Church of St Joseph
25. Church of the Risen Christ
26. Church of St Francis Xavier
27. Church of St Vincent de Paul
28. Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
29. Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
30. St Anne’s Church (Singapore)
31. Church of Divine Mercy

More about Cathedral of The Good Shepherd
Cathedral of The Good Shepherd: address and contact
Cathedral of The Good Shepherd: Architecture
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd: More Photographs and information
Catholic Statues: Statues Inside Cathedral of The Good Shepherd
Outdoor Statues: Statues outside Cathedral of The Good Shepherd
Cathedral of The Good Shepherd: Glory of God

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