VISITA IGLESIA: St. John's Cathedral Central Hong Kong

St. John's Cathedral or The Cathedral Church of St. John The Evangelist along Garden Road in Central Hong Kong has the distinction of being the oldest Anglican church in the Far East. It is steeped in history and has stood witness to a lot of changes since its establishment in 1849

Nestled among the skyscrapers in Central District, St. John's Cathedral has a gothic-feel to it and it somewhat similar to the churches built in other parts of Asia during those time.

The bell tower has a "VR" inscribed to it that marked the founding reign of Queen Victoria of England. VR stands for Victoria Regina, Regina means "queen" in Latin.

The cathedral's interiors especially with its high ceilings makes it look magnificent and solemn at the same time. On the right side of the cathedral is a small alcove which is the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel.

St. John's Cathedral is also noted for its stained glass windows. But even if the stained glass windows are not the original ones anymore, it has lost its grandeur which really speak volumes especially when the sun passes through it.

The cross outside the cathedral is actually a war memorial in memory of the soldiers killed during World War II. During the Japanese occupation in World War II, this cross was destroyed and the cathedral was used as a social and recreational venue by the Japanese soldiers and most of the cathedral's valuables was taken, and that includes the original stained glass windows. The new cross (Celtic cross) was built in 1952 and a new inscription was added to commemorate those who died in both wars.

Going to St. John's Cathedral is easy especially if you will go to the Tram Peak Station or HSBC Building.