We had a couple of days in Sydney in 2022 before our Indian-Pacific train trip, and spent some of it wandering through Hyde Park. While waiting for the bus on one side of the park one afternoon, we saw a cathedral on an adjoining street. Brian took photos from a distance, and we thought if there was to be another time in Sydney that we might visit it. Brian was particularly interested in it because it has three organs.
Easter Sunday seemed like a good day for that, so we attended their Solemn Mass at 10:30.
St Mary’s Cathedral is one of the finest examples of
English-style gothic churches in the world. It is built of Sydney yellow-block
and was established in 1833. It is
dedicated to Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians.
This statue is of of another St Mary, Australia's first saint, Mary Helen Mackillop (1842 to 1909) who was canonized on 17 October 2010 and became known as St Mary of the Cross. She founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
The cathedral music is almost as important as the building. The Cathedral Choir is the oldest musical institution in Australia, formed in 1818. Astute readers will note that the choir predates the church. Australia was basically a penal colony at that time, and the choir was formed to sing Vespers before services in the Demsey household. James Demsey arrived in Australia from Ireland after the 1798 rebellion, and was the founder of the first Roman Catholic community in Australia.
The Choir’s main function is to sing Vespers and Mass in the Cathedral, which is an almost daily activity. The Cathedral Choir is men and boys true to the Benedictine English tradition, but in 2025 St Mary’s began a choir for girls. It is the only Catholic Cathedral in Australia to have an on-site choir school for boy and girl choristers.
We stood on the Cathedral steps outside waiting for admission. There were many people, but we thought we were more or less in the first hundred or so. But when we entered the church, most pews were already full. We walked up the centre aisle thinking we would find a spot, but it was futile. We moved on to the aisle on one side, where additional chairs had been set up facing the pews, but those chairs were also full. We were standing by a pillar, thinking it was the best we could do, when I noticed a man in the front row of the chairs gesturing and ‘making eyes’ – I assumed to someone behind me, but it became clear he wanted me to take his seat. It was at the end of the row, and Brian came to stand beside me. Almost at once someone appeared behind him with a chair. Both men disappeared almost too fast to even acknowledge our thanks. I was happy to be seated; the mass was two hours.
We did not understand all of the customs of the liturgy, and naturally had no understanding of the sung Latin, but the readings, prayers and homily were in English. Brian’s aim of hearing the solo organ(s) was in vain except for the voluntary at the end of the mass.
We left the church and walked many blocks to find a place for coffee and something light to eat as we wanted to be back for the tour at 2:00 pm. We came to a large square with a couple of series of steps going down to the next street. (Sydney is a hilly city.) Many of the people had shopping bags of food, others were on benches eating, a few napping, and many looked a bit unkempt. At the bottom of the stairs, men and women were unloading a van putting boxes of fruit on long tables. Perhaps it was a food bank, or kitchen. There was no reference to a charity or city service, and I do not know if this might be a routine Sunday activity or special for Easter.
We passed this street art not far from the square. Whether it is connected with the activities or just serendipity, I do not know.
Our tour of St Mary’s was about 20 people. Our guide was good, but not a public speaker, and she did not use a microphone. There were many other people in the church touring on their own, and an organist was practicing. I did not hear all of the information.
Here are some photos Brian took looking up the centre aisle.
Some of the stained-glass windows.
Other miscellaneous photos.
We were invited to go to the crypt. This memorial was at the top of the stairs leading to the crypt.
Stairs to the crypt were narrow, and we expected something like the dark stone areas we have seen in other cathedrals. But it was clean and bright and well-finished with an amazing mosaic floor. Many churches would be happy and proud to have an area like this for their main sanctuary.
I was surprised to see three stained glass windows, but the Cathedral is on a hill, and the incline on this side of the lot allowed for windows in an area that was otherwise underground.
The flower arrangements – I think you can see some in the various photos – in the church were outstanding – lilies, carnations, chrysanthemums, gladioli. Each large individual arrangement would be exceptional at any church or banquet or hotel lobby.
A further modern note on the Cathedral Choir formed in 1818. They have been on several international tours, made recordings and hosted concerts. Their upcoming 2026 tour includes Rome, Edinburgh and London. An advertisement on the last page of the mass program invited people to sponsor a choir member with a $10,000 gift. There was a QR code to make it easy. In the same vein, the collection plate during the Mass had an Apple square. And during our tour, we saw several of the following stands.
Wes and Carol spent the day in Darling Harbour at Sea Life Aquarium and Wild Life. On the way home they discover there are two Meriton Hotels, and the one their taxi took them to was (luckily) just a few blocks away. We had dinner at Masala Kitchen, just a few doors away from the hotel, and exchanged notes about our days.
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