Sunday 4 December 2011

LADY CHAPEL IN ST FRANCIS, MELBOURNE

The ‘Mother Church of Victoria’, St Francis’ Church, was built between 1841 and 1845 on the block of land originally reserved for the Catholic Church in Melbourne. Soon after Melbourne’s pioneer priest, the Franciscan Fr Patrick Geoghegan, arrived in 1839, a temporary chapel made of second-hand floorboards was erected on the site of the future St Francis’ Church. When sufficient funds were raised to finance a permanent building, Geoghegan commissioned the architect Samuel Jackson to design the present church, which he dedicated to St Francis’ of Assisi.

The foundation stone of St Francis’ Church was laid on 4 October 1841. The first mass was celebrated in the completed nave of the church on 22 May 1842. And the church was blessed and opened on 23 October 1845. St Francis’ became Melbourne’s first Catholic cathedral with the arrival of Bishop James Alipius Goold in 1848. Its cathedral status ended when the nave of the partially built St Patrick’s Cathedral was opened for worship in the late 1860s.

The beautiful ‘Ladye Chapel’ on the western side of St Francis’ Church was constructed in the mid 1850s and blessed on 31 May 1858. This is an awe-inspiring place place for quiet reflection or prayer.

This post is part of the Psalm Sunday meme run by Robert.


Hail Mary full of grace,
Mary full of grace Hail!
The Lord Lord is with thee,
Blessed amongst women
And blessed be the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Hail Mary,
Hail Mary Mother of God
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of death,
Hail Mary...

Here is Renée Fleming singing the orchestral arrangement od Schubert's setting of this beautiful psalm.

23 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing that beautiful video...very moving, and in such a gorgeous setting too. I wish there were such a lovely cathedral near here!

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  2. I like very much this photo of the church and it's interesting to read the history too.

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  3. Gorgeous colours in those stained glass windows, Nick. I love Flemming. She has a voice to die for, and her controlled delivery is mesmerising.

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  4. Oh my Nick, chills down the spine, that was spectacular what a setting, the acoustics divine! Your image above is so very beautiful. What a brilliant start to a Sunday morning.

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  5. Those talle arched windows are so rich with colour! And the touch of flowers below adds a beautiful sacred elegance! Enjoyed the historical background too!

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  6. «Louis» cannot find the exact composer of the musical setting he posted to Psalm 37. It is by a group calling themselves YHWH. He agrees with you: it is rather fine.

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  7. The colors and design in the Ladye Chapel are stunning. Wonderful capture! Thanks for the historical background.

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  8. Wonderful rich colours and I loved the video with Renee Fleming - her voice is one of the best.

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  9. A magnificent church!

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  10. What a gorgeous post! The chapel is magnificent and the video amazing! Thank you!

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  11. Shalom to you in Melbourne from us in Jerusalem.

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  12. What a fantastic photo of a heavenly interior of that church! Lovely!

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  13. A wonderful picture of this church. So colorful and with so much details.
    Great post!

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  14. Magnificent! Lovely video of this, one of my favorite schubert compositions!

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  15. The colourful stained glass windows are so beautiful.

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  16. A joy for the sense of sight and sound. There seems to be indeed things that only light can do. Wonderful picture !

    Thank you very much for your kind participation; please have a good week ahead and please join again soon.

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  17. It may be called a chapel, but it looks like a great cathedral!

    Advent: Day 8, Psalm 37

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  18. Stunning stain glass windows... beautiful capture...

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  19. So beautiful! Amazing photo!

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  20. Hi this is a lovely article. I am starting a 9 day novena today for St Francis Church and the Blessed Sacrament fathers. Lockdown has bee nse ere on them and the city and church Community need help in prayers. May I use your image and a little of your text in this rosary novena and through October. Feel free to share on the website to get more prayers. Thank you.

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    1. You are welcome to use what you need for your novena.
      Kind regards

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  21. Facebook Novena for St Francis church and Blessed Sacrament Fathers https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10228165574994684&id=1535606536&sfnsn=mo

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