Catholic Identity Through St. Patricks Cathedral

We understand Catholic identity through St. Patricks Cathedral by the Gothic Architecture. The Gothic Architecture was a new development in the 12th-16th century. The three main features Gothic Architecture are the pointed arch, ribbed vault and the flying buttress. The pointed arch helps support more weight, the ribbed vault helps to support more weight on the columns and the flying buttress helped support more weight from the outside. These features allowed more space, higher ceilings and larger windows. Another feature is the gargoyles and Saints faces on the outside of the Cathedral. These were used as drainage pipes and to scare off the Demons. Stained- Glass windows were also a big feature as they depicted Biblical characters or Saints and they also let in light and light represents God, holiness and
gives splendour to all creation. In the St. Patricks Cathedral, trefoils were a main feature as St. Patrick is Irish and the trefoils are like three leaf-clovers.

The floorpan for Catholic churches was shaped in a cross.
So the top part of the church (opposite the entry) near the altar is called the Apse, the area around the altar is called the Chance and the crossing of the church that separates the nave from the chance is called the Transept. The Nave is where the public is seated and the Narthex is entrance. Another feature is the spires. There are 3 spires (St. Patricks Irish feature; 3 leaf clover/ trefoil) and they all have a cross on top of them. A main feature is the trinity around the Cathedral. Everything is grouped in three; the windows and spires. The stone used to make St. Patricks Cathedral is granite/ bluestone and inside the Cathedral is mainly marble. Another feature is the Rose window. The Rose window was built above the organ which has more than 7000 pipes. The Rose window was one of Charles Connick’s major works. It has a lot of detail in it and it brings through light into the Cathedral. Another main feature is the two Keys and the Crown above the back entrance of the Cathedral. The two Keys are in Matthew 16:9 and they represent the Key of Heaven and the Key of the World. The Crown is the Paple
Crown.

A key aspect in the St. Francis’ Church is how it became a church. One day back in the 18th century a community wanted a church; they wanted a sacred place to pray to God. So they met up on this land and started running their own masses. When a Priest came; Fr Patrick Geoghegan, a temporary Chapel was made with second-hand floorboards on the St. Francis’ Church land. Then when they had enough money they built a permanent building and it was designed by Samuel Jackson an architect. The Foundation Stone was laid on the 4th of October 1841. This is a key aspect of St. Francis’ Church as it is the history of the church; it was when it was made and its the first Catholic Church in Melbourne.