The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Mary

As we pulled into Apia, I saw this magnificent church off our stateroom balcony, and knew I absolutely wanted to visit it as we explored Apia.

I don’t know how long the cathedral has been there, but it was rededicated in 2014, so Jeff and I guessed that there has been some refurbishing had been done.

Altho most businesses were closed in Apia due to the national holiday, the cathedral was open, thank goodness.  In addition to being a wonderful shelter from the heat and a slight break from the humidity, it was absolutely breathtaking on the inside.  The ceiling is all wood, some in a somewhat of a parquet pattern.  

Complementing the beauty of the ceiling were the stained glass windows.  The dove was above the tabernacle, and there was a beautiful flower type stained glass above the organ in the loft.  The Stations of the Cross were all stained glass and other scenes from the Bible were depicted as well.  I thought the windows were really pretty when I stood in front of the cathedral, but it paled when compared to what was on the inside.

I loved that the tabernacle seemed to mirror the grandeur of the outside of the cathedral.  The relief on the front of the alter was simply incredible.  I think the flower arrangements were there due to the holiday.  It’s called White Sunday, and the official holiday is the 2^nd Sunday of October, when children and family are celebrated.  However, businesses observe the holiday on the Monday after the official holiday.  Samoa is a highly religious country, and I think it’s primarily Catholic.  Certainly, this Catholic Church is the largest in town.

There was a dome in the cathedral (is it called a basilica?) that, of course, was gorgeous as well.  It was very Samoan in focus, as one of the scenes depicted on it was a kava ceremony, something that is part of the South Pacific Island history.

I have to admit, I’m a sucker for arches in a church, or, in this case, cathedral.  These are certainly a match for others that I’ve seen in other countries.  Notice the Stations of the Cross stained glass above the arches.  In all, a wonderful respite!

Enjoy!