Among these institutions is St Mary’s Anglican Cathedral, nestled between Sungai Gombak and Jalan Raja, right across from Dataran Merdeka.

One of the oldest churches in the country, it has borne witness to many historical moments across 126 years.

The church has survived trials and tribulations such as wars and floods, so a pandemic is unlikely to faze its faithful.

Leading the flock from the pulpit is reverend Andrew Cheah, who joined St Mary’s as a curate in 2003 before being appointed to dean in 2018.

“The original St Mary’s was a simple wooden building on Bluff Road, on what is now known as Bukit Aman,” he tells FMT.

Consecrated in 1887, St Mary’s was the centre of worship for Kuala Lumpur’s Anglican community but could only accommodate a maximum of 95 worshippers.

When that community grew, it became clear the church was in need of expansion and, in 1893, the decision was made to relocate it to its present site.

Cheah adds a fun fact: when they wanted to build the church, they held a contest with a prize of 100 Straits dollars for the best design.

However, none of the submitted designs were worthy of the prize, so government architect A C Norman was hired for the job.

Norman would also be the architect of the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building, a short walk down the street from the church.

While half the construction cost of $10,000 was sponsored by the government, the other half came from the public. Despite not being a Christian, philanthropist and fifth Chinese kapitan of Kuala Lumpur Yap Kwan Seng donated $1,000.

An aerial view shows the cathedral in the shape of a cross, a common characteristic among traditional churches referencing one of the holiest symbols of Christianity.

Norman based his design on early English Gothic architecture, the features of which include large stained-glass windows and prominent buttresses.

Located in front of the church, behind the altar in full view of any visitor, is a set of three stained-glass windows depicting the images of St Mary, Jesus Christ and St John.

Besides being works of art, these windows, says Cheah, also tell the story of Christianity. These particular windows were installed in 1955, with the original ones having gone missing.

“During World War II, someone took the original windows and hid them. But they did their job a little too well and couldn’t find them afterwards!”

Another prominently displayed stained-glass window, known as the Planters Window, is dedicated to plantation staff who lost their lives during the Emergency period.

But the pride and joy of St Mary’s has to be the pipe organ, which has been used during services since 1895. It was made by Henry Willis, who also made the organ at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

“In 1926,” says Cheah, “the organ was badly damaged by floods, and was moved to its present position in the loft in 1929 after an extensive rebuild.”

The organ was damaged again during World War II and had to be continually serviced by international specialists. The latest rebuild was in 2015 when it was restored to its former glory.

“And yes, it’s still being used today,” Cheah says.

Given its history, one might think the dean would be proud to serve in such an iconic location. But Cheah says his work is more important to him.

“One day everything around us will be gone, including this nice old building. But if we trust in Jesus, we have a relationship with God that lasts forever. That is far, far more important and weightier than the building I preach in.”

Nevertheless, Cheah hopes the church will continue to be maintained. “Historical places are part of our story and we should preserve them as such – not only for ourselves and for tourists, but for our future generations.”

In the meantime, Cheah and his fellow reverends have embraced digital technology – besides onsite services, they also livestream them and conduct online Bible study sessions.

And even though the congregation may not be able to gather as freely as they used to prior to the pandemic, the spirit of Christmas lives on at St Mary’s this month.

As for his Christmas wish, Cheah says simply: “For the whole country, I hope we can all live together in harmony and mutual respect.”

St Mary’s Anglican Cathedral
Jalan Raja
50050 Kuala Lumpur