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St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Glory of God

St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Glory of God

Last updated on: October 22, 2024 at 10:11 am by Tosha Lamdin Williams

St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Glory of God 2024-10-22T10:11:06-06:00 Tosha Lamdin Williams

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

During the summer of 1981, while visiting family in Oklahoma, I encountered an unforgettable moment with history. As a little girl playing with my cousin’s Barbie collection, I was one of about 750 million people around the world watching Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding. That afternoon, I went back-and-forth between the worlds of pretend and pageantry. I never imagined I’d someday go with my very own prince to where that royal wedding unfolded: the spectacular Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London. Turns out, seeing it on television decades prior hardly began to portray its grandeur. In May of 2024, I would be privileged to see its greatness in person.

A Spire of St. Paul's Cathedral in London

Author’s Personal Photo

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Last May, when our dear friends took us to England to celebrate my Kelly’s 100th reading of the Bible, their stated purpose was to give him the opportunity to read Scripture in some of Great Britain’s cathedrals. They offered this as an incomprehensible, generous reward for finishing this huge lifetime goal. During our trip, we would see four of these 97 cathedrals, and Saint Paul’s Cathedral was to be our first. So while we could have spent many hours more at the Tower of London, Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula and Crown Jewels exhibit, we headed onward to St. Paul’s with great anticipation.

With pre-purchased tickets, we entered the long, winding queue at our appointed time. For some inexplicable reason, a crotchety tour guide forced our group aside, which was very disconcerting given the number of people ahead of us. However, eventually we queued our way through a side gate, past a John Wesley statue which only seemed to beckon our attention, and up to a ticket entrance tent. Again we were stopped and told to get out of line. Such was beyond irritating, as the clock was ticking and we didn’t want to miss our admission.

Statue of John Wesley, St. Paul's Cathedral, London

Author’s Personal Photo

Three of us gave up and headed out, while my husband turned to a kinder, gentler tour host and explained our situation to her. Apparently Kelly won Joan’s favor, because, after a few moment’s deliberation, she told us to follow her. Past the winding crowds, past the ticket lines, past the queue, all the way to the very front of the line at the main entrance. It felt like she gave us the royal treatment. “The favor of the Lord,” Kelly told Malcom.

And with that, there we were, stepping into one of the most amazing cathedrals in the world. Seeing in person this place I had seen on television decades prior was almost beyond description.

Some History of St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is the 21st largest cathedral in the world, and it is certainly the largest I’ve ever personally seen. Built between the years 1675 and 1710, this current cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The former St. Paul’s was built for Catholic worship, but it burned down in the Great Fire of London in 1666. By the time Wren led the rebuilding of the Cathedral, England’s monarchy had switched from being Catholic to Anglican. With this, St. Paul’s became an Anglican and thus Protestant cathedral. (Such is a story for another day!)

In every direction, Wren’s breath-taking cathedral has stained glass, ornamentation, memorials, and history. Our group meandered, in awe, trying to take it all in. The cathedral’s footprint is that of a cross. The font at the entrance is like the foot of the cross, while the World War II memorial dedicated to the American armies at the cathedral’s other end is like the top of the cross. Each of the arms of the cross is practically a cathedral within itself. The Cathedral can seat hundreds and hundreds of people, up to a whopping 3,500. No wonder they could host a royal wedding there!

Inside St. Paul's' Cathedral, London

Author’s Personal Photo

We posed for a picture at the crux of the cross. From there, we looked upward toward the dome, which is the world’s second largest. Halfway up is a rotunda, and then at the top is an exterior observation deck. All it takes is 528 steps to get there, and I wasn’t leaving St. Paul’s until I climbed every one of them.

View from top of St. Paul's Cathedral, London

Author’s Personal Photo

So up we went, through the innards of the cathedral to the rotunda, which looks down upon the crux of the cross-shaped building. They call this rotunda “the whispering chamber,” because you can whisper on one side of it and be heard all the way on the other side. We sat for a few minutes and caught our breath, then up up up we went to get to the observation deck at the top. From there, we saw an incredible 365° view of London, including the Tower of London from whence we had just come.

Europe’s Largest Crypt

After taking it all in, we went back down to the main level of the cathedral. It was hard to imagine that there could be more to see, and yet there was. Off to the side, steps descended into Europe’s largest crypt. For us westerners, a crypt is a an underground room or vault beneath a church, used as a chapel or burial place. At 30,000 square feet, St. Paul’s has both. It has a funeral chapel there in its depths, like an enormous church within its own right.

St. Paul’s crypt also contains room after room after room of graves and memorials. Graves are everywhere, within the walls and floors. Famous people like Florence Nightingale and Winston Churchill, as well as others we know nothing about, are honored in every nook and cranny. I was especially mesmerized by the memorials of those whose lives spoke, not just of their own accomplishments, but of the greater glory, God’s glory. These pointed out what my soul already knows: that there is more to life than even this.

An Even Greater Glory

St. Paul’s Cathedral is certainly an impressive monument. It memorializes saints and soldiers, dignitaries and disciples. My tourist eyes were fascinated; my visitor’s curiosity peaked. The artistry, the creativity, the genius of every single aspect was breathtaking. We loved every part of it, from the top of the observation deck to the depths of the crypt. We would have stayed hours longer, and we only left because they were emptying the cathedral of our group of visitors.

Impressive as it was, though, St. Paul’s itself was not what stirred my soul.

What stirred my heart was the still small voice I heard at the beginning of our tour. It felt like we were going to miss everything, and yet God said, Be patient. Wait for Me. I’ve got this. Trust Me.

As we did, our little group began to experience God’s presence in amazing ways. Our experience started there at Saint Paul’s Cathedral. However, it continued with a series of God moments and divine encounters that, in my reckoning, surpassed even the glories of that cathedral. As marvelous as it was – and is!!! – St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is merely an appetizer for the feast.

St. Paul's Cathedral, London

Author’s Personal Photo

Thing is, St. Paul’s Cathedral inspires visitors to sit down in awe, but the glory of the living God inspires me to fall down in worship.

Our tour ended, but His Presence is never ending.

The Greatest Glory

I can’t wait to go back to Great Britain someday. I hope it works out to return, for that country with its cathedrals and churches captivated my heart. However, even more than the trip of a lifetime, even more than visiting the historic glories of cathedrals like Saint Paul’s, I want to experience again and again the glory of God.

He invites each of us in. We don’t have to wait in a ticket line or win a tour guide’s favor. God beckons us to enter into and stay in His presence, anytime, anywhere.

Stop, listen, look and see.

He is not just there. He is here, now, in this place.

Come on in, spend some time here.

As amazing as man’s monuments are, may our hearts be captivated by God’s glory, His grandeur, His presence, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

*****

Be encouraged ❤️

Tosha

Kelly and Tosha at top of St. Paul's Cathedral

Author’s Personal Photo

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