Cathedral of the Good Shepherd

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd was completed in 1847 and is the oldest Catholic church in Singapore, built to a design derived from St Martin-in-the-Fields and St Paul's Covent Garden, with a portico, a nave in the shape of a Latin cross and a spire. It closed in 2013 for a three-year restoration that dealt with serious structural problems, and reopened in 2016 with the original fabric consolidated and the interior returned to its earlier scheme.

Background

The church grew from a small wood and attap chapel, completed by 1833 and measuring 60 feet by 30 feet, which cost about 700 Spanish dollars. A fundraising drive began in 1840. The merchant John Connolly laid the cornerstone on 18 June 1843, and Father Jean-Marie Beurel opened the finished church on 6 June 1847, the year its steeple was added. In all, payments came to 18,355.22 Spanish dollars. It became a cathedral in 1888 but was consecrated only on 14 February 1897, once its debts were paid. Bishop Edouard Gasnier is buried inside, and the church also keeps relics of Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert. It became a national monument on 28 June 1973.

Source: Wikipedia, "Cathedral of the Good Shepherd"

Highlights

• The Renaissance front - a portico derived from London churches of the period.
• The restored interior - the nave returned to its earlier decorative scheme.
• The 1847 fabric - the oldest Catholic church building on the island.
• The setting - the cathedral among the museums and schools of Bras Basah.

When to go

Year round; the cathedral is open daily outside services. Sunday and holy day services fill it. Mornings are quietest.

What to expect

It closes to visitors during services. The 2013 to 2016 restoration replaced a good deal of failed material. The building is plain compared with European cathedrals of its type.

Nearby

CHIJMES is south, and the National Museum is west.

Key facts