St John's Cathedral
The St John's Cathedral in Hong Kong, which was constructed in 1849, is the oldest Anglican church in south-east Asia. It is one of the oldest buildings in Hong Kong City. The Cathedral is located at Garden Road, Central. The church is oftentimes referred to by its short name "St. John's."
St John's Cathedral itself blends with the look-and-feel of modern-day Hong Kong. The Cathedral's gothic architecture presents a majestic tower and artistically crafted stained glass windows by the famous William Morris in England. The church itself has a very rich history.
In 1841, during the earliest days of the British settlement in Hong Kong, plans for a church to care for the needs of the European community were already being discussed. Back in England, the young Reverend Vincent Stanton had great zeal for missionary work with the Christian Missionary Society (the CMS) in China. The Reverend Father spent three months in jail after some bouts with local authorities in Canton some years earlier. St John's foundation stone was laid in 1847. In 1849, the church's status was elevated into that of a Cathedral.
Before the 2nd World War, in 1937, with the full-fledged support and prayers of the Cathedral, Bishop Ronald Hall set up an orphanage in Hong Kong, which later on took on the name St Christopher's Home. The Cathedral was where Bishop Hall started this mission. Before the 2nd World War, St John's actively secured clothing and medical supplies for the lepers in Beihai and other pastoral areas in China.
Since the 1970s more migrant workers have been coming to work in Hong Kong. St John's worked together with other organizations to set up Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW) and, sometime later Helpers for Domestic Helpers (HDH), to provide support for these workers and to help them protect their rights.
Before Hong Kong was handed over to Mainland China by the British in 1997, the front pews in St John's Cathedral was reserved for the governor and visiting royalty. At present, one can still see the governor's emblem at the end of the first few. The tradition of the societies at that time indicated that the placements of persons on seats and pews was an important matter. The nearer to the front a person gets to sit, the more important that person was said to be.
The beautiful St John's Cathedral, built in the shape of a cross, is in the Central district of Hong Kong Island on Garden Road, just down the hill from the Peak Tram station. The Cathedral is open daily from 7:00am to 6:00pm for reflective prayer and meditation.
Visitors and tourists are always welcome at any of the Cathedral's services. Anyone who is new to Hong Kong or St. John's, could make himself or herself known at the Welcome Table in the Porch after Sunday morning service. A person will be there to assist you in your inquiries about the Cathedral and your inquiries about the ministries and church projects that are done from there. Clergy and members of the Cathedral hold monthly services in prisons, and pay frequent visits to inmates.
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St John's Cathedral Office is open 9:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays, 9:00am to 12 noon during weekends.
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