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Above photo - St Paul's Cathdral London
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Its
architectural and artistic importance reflect
the determination of the five monarchs who oversaw
its building that London's leading church should
be as beautiful and imposing as their private
palaces. As the Cathedral of the capital city,
St Paul's is the spiritual focus for the Nation.
This is where people and events of overwhelming
importance to the country have been celebrated,
mourned and commemorated since the first Service
took place in 1697. |
Since
then important services have included the funerals of
Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston
Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria,
King George V; peace services marking the end of the
First and Second World Wars; the launch of the Festival
of Britain; the Service of Remembrance and Commemoration
for the 11th September 2001: the 80th and 100th birthdays
of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; the wedding of
Charles, Prince of Wales, to Lady Diana Spencer and,
most recently, the Thanksgiving for the Golden Jubilee
of Her Majesty the Queen.
Over
the centuries, St Paul's has changed to reflect shifting
tastes and attitudes. Decoration has been added and
removed, services have been updated, different areas
have been put to new uses. Today, the history of the
nation is written in the carved stone of its pillars
and arches and is celebrated in its works of art and
monuments. In the crypt are effigies and fragments of
stone that pre-date the Cathedral, relics of a medieval
world.
From
Wren's original vision, Jean Tijou's beautiful wrought
iron gates of 1700 still separate the quire from the
ambulatory; children still test the acoustics in the
Whispering Gallery; and the 1695 organ which Mendelssohn
once played is still in use. The magnificent mosaics
are the result of Queen Victoria's mid-19th century
complaint that the interior was "most dreary, dingy
and undevotional."
The
American Memorial Chapel stands behind the High Altar
in an area that was bomb-damaged during the Second World
War - a gesture of gratitude to the American dead of
the Second World War from the people of Britain.
An
altar has now been installed on a dais in the heart
of the Cathedral, bringing services closer to those
who attend them. Throughout, St Paul's has remained
a busy, working church where millions have come to worship
and find peace. It is a heritage site of international
importance which attracts thousands of people each year,
a symbol of the City and Nation it serves and, above
all, a lasting monument to the glory of God.
St Paul's Cathedral
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