Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral


Christmas Day we went to St. Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork City Centre for Christmas Day mass. We attended Christmas Day mass at King's College while we were living in Cambridge and thought we would continue that tradition since we were in Ireland. I guess we could continue that tradition in the United States, but there is something about attending a service in these beautiful cathedrals. We like going because it helps focus the day on Christ and his birth. The service was beautiful. We sang O Little Town of Bethlehem to the tune a different hymn that for the life of me I cannot remember now. If I remember I will post it later. It was amazing! Lyndon and I have been humming it since. 

St. Fin Barre's Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral which we kind of surprise since we were in Ireland which is mostly Catholic. It is built on the site that was the entrance to medieval Cork. It is St. Fin Barre's Cathedral because he established a monastery here and is said to be the founder of Cork. 

Once the service was over Cosette was running up and down the rows of benches. 

 

It is amazing how ornate cathedrals can be. We kind of has lost that in our buildings today. I am grateful we still have some architectural beauties like this.

The light coming through the windows was beautiful. The way it comes through looks symbolic if that makes sense. I think it might just be the rays of light coming into this magnificent place of worship like Christ coming into our lives or dark world. Maybe stretching that a metaphor a bit, but it is lovely.

 

I love the windows, especially the rose window above the organ. The organ is a 3,000-pipe organ. Let me tell you, the music it produce is amazing!

 

 

We feel really blessed to have been able to visit this Cathedral and enjoy all it has to offer. We highly recommend going there for evensong if you are ever in Cork. The music and atmosphere will take you away to a peaceful place. Going there was the icing on the cake to a perfect Christmas.

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