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In Malaysia, diversity thrives. Freedom to practice a religion is one of the pillars of the constitution of the nation. Christianity is one of the minority religions that are practised in Malaysia. Christianity comprises of many dominations and one such domination which has established itself quite well in the community of Christians here is the Anglican Church – St. Mary’s Cathedral.
The St. Mary’s Cathedral is built to be the Anglican Diocese for the western part of Malaysia. The church was dedicated on the 13th of February in the year 1887, making it one of the oldest cathedrals in the nation. The present site of the church is not the original one as the church was built first on a hill on Bluff Road. Among the many people who flocked to the church to worship on Sunday mornings were the British Residents of Selangor at that time and even the Governor of the Straits Settlements. The church is now located near the Independence Square.
The foundation of the building was laid by William Teacher. During the devastating Second World War, the church had to be protected. However, efforts to protect the glass windows were in vain and have not been recovered today. The church became a cathedral only when a bishop was appointed over the western part of Malaysia in the late 1900s.
Relocation of the church building was made possible by the church members who helped to raise funds. Many other famous locals like the founder of Batu Caves also made contributions towards the new church building. If you visit the church, you should look inside at the church pipe organ. It is quite an interesting fact to note that the person who made this organ; Henry Willis was the same person who made the St. Pauls Cathedrals organ as well as the one in the prestigious Royal Albert Hall.
The white church building is not a very big one but it is surrounded by lush green landscape. It certainly is a serene place to be in, especially when one sits in the main cathedral; there is a sense of peace and beauty that expels from within.
If you are in Kuala Lumpur and wish to pay a visit to the St. Mary’s Cathedral to be a part of the churches services, you are always welcomed to do so. The cathedral holds 4 English services on Sundays. The earliest service begins at 7 am. It is said to be a Said Eucharist. The main service commences at 8.30am and the next Said Eucharist service is at 10.30am. The last service, which is an Evensong with Eucharist is held at 6pm. The church also holds Nepalese and Iban services. Also, if you prefer the more contemporary service, you could head instead to the hall beside the main Cathedral at 10.30am every Sunday morning.
If you are to make your way there using the public transport system, you could use the taxi services. Most of the taxi drivers are well accustomed to the city and so telling them where the cathedral is will do. If you plan on taking a more affordable mode of transport, the LRT train services is a convenient way of traveling. You should alight at the Masjid Jamek station and then make your way towards the Independence Square. The church is just 5 minutes away by foot.
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