雪梨聖瑪麗教堂St Mary's Cathedral：雄偉的宗教建築之美

來雪梨之前就有看到旅遊書介紹此生必去的景點之一，就是St Mary’s Cathedral又稱聖瑪麗大教堂。

Before coming to Sydney, I had already seen in travel books that one of the must-visit attractions in this lifetime is St Mary's Cathedral.

坐在小巴士的我們看著車子緩緩開過，經過教堂的側面的時候已經被高聳的建築震撼，以前學藝術史的時候就有學到哥德式建築，親眼看到才知道這建築的設計有多精美。

As we sat in the minibus, we watched the car slowly pass by. When we passed the side of the cathedral, we were already struck by the towering architecture. I had learned about Gothic architecture in art history before, but seeing it with my own eyes made me realize how exquisite the design of this building is.

聖瑪麗大教堂的建築是用砂岩架構，所以陽光照下來看起來就多了一份貴氣。

The architecture of St. Mary's Cathedral is constructed using sandstone, giving it a luxurious appearance when illuminated by sunlight.

下車後站在大門口才發現整個教堂真的非常的高，對比之下站在門口的我感覺就像宇宙中的一個小生物，小小的我正抬頭往上看教堂也是非常的壯觀。

Upon stepping out of the bus and standing at the entrance, I realized just how towering the entire cathedral was. In comparison, I felt like a tiny creature in the vast universe, gazing upward at the magnificent structure of the church.

帶著非常興奮的心情走進教堂裡，一眼望去碩大的空間感覺沒有壓迫感，也直接感受到教堂的氛圍讓人平靜，覺得自己在走進來的那刻就被淨化。

With an overwhelming sense of excitement, I walked into the cathedral, and as I looked around, the vast space felt surprisingly unoppressive. I immediately sensed the serene atmosphere of the church, and I felt a deep sense of tranquility, as if I had been purified the moment I stepped inside.

雖然我不是天主教教徒，參觀的途中也看到了一些人正在禱告，於是我也體驗了坐在椅子上禱告，但試著想出些什麼詞卻一句話都沒想出來，只覺得坐在這裡沒有任何雜念，內心非常的平靜沒有辦法形容，也許只能在現場才能夠體會這種心境。

Although I am not a Catholic, as I toured the cathedral, I noticed some people engaged in prayer. Curious, I decided to experience sitting in one of the pews and attempting to pray myself. However, I found myself at a loss for words, unable to form any coherent thoughts. Yet, sitting there, I felt a complete absence of distractions, and my inner being was filled with an indescribable sense of serenity. Perhaps it's an experience that can only be truly understood by being present in that moment.

後來開始往教堂裡頭走，看到牆上的一排排關於耶穌的小故事的油畫像畫得也精細也非常大幅，像是走在藝廊裡頭參觀藝術品，就連窗花的設計也美的目不轉睛。

As I continued walking inside the cathedral, I noticed a series of finely detailed and large-scale oil paintings depicting stories about Jesus on the walls. It felt like strolling through an art gallery, admiring the artwork. Even the stained glass window designs were captivating, holding my gaze without distraction.

教堂裡頭是採用挑高設計，所以在看到這些畫像與窗花時整體的觀感又被放大了許多。

The cathedral featured a high ceiling design, which further amplified the overall impression when viewing the paintings and stained glass windows. The sense of grandeur and awe was intensified as I beheld these artworks within the lofty space of the church.

看到這些雕刻都會不禁感嘆雕刻師的手藝真的會讓人歎為觀止，工藝的藝術，我想這裡對我來說是另一種美術館吧！

Witnessing these intricate carvings, I couldn't help but marvel at the craftsmanship of the sculptors. Their artistry was truly breathtaking, showcasing the mastery of their craft. I felt as though I had entered another kind of art gallery, where every detail was a testament to the beauty of fine craftsmanship.

（教堂裡的紀念品店示意圖）"Illustration of the souvenir shop inside the church."

參觀完後再教堂的角落處看到一家小小的紀念品店裡頭有賣許多聖母像的卡片跟紀念幣，當時忘記拍照就畫下來給大家看看大概是長這樣，而我當時站在門口挑了聖母像的卡片準備帶回家做紀念。

After the visit, I came across a small souvenir shop tucked in a corner of the church. Inside, they had a wide selection of Virgin Mary cards and commemorative coins. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo, so I sketched a rough representation to show everyone. I stood at the entrance and carefully chose a Virgin Mary card to take home as a cherished keepsake.

（選了一張聖母像的卡片）(I chose a card with an image of the Virgin Mary.)

卡片裡頭也有寫字，但好像是類似俚語所以我也不懂寫了什麼，就拿了就準備去結帳。

The cards also had some writing on them, but it seemed to be in a kind of slang or vernacular that I couldn't understand. I decided to grab one and head to the cashier to make my purchase.

紀念品店的店員是一位老奶奶，她先很驚訝地看著我說這個卡片你是要送人的嗎？

她的神情非常緊張，因為奶奶說了很長串英文但我沒有聽懂。

講到後面奶奶就一直重複：「Do you understand?」

看我滿臉問號於是乎她就突然走出櫃檯。

The shopkeeper at the souvenir store was an elderly lady. She looked at me with surprise and asked if I was buying the card as a gift. She seemed quite nervous and spoke a long string of English words that I couldn't understand. Towards the end, she kept repeating, "Do you understand?" Seeing the confused expression on my face, she suddenly walked away from the counter.

奶奶走去一個角落，拿了一張聖母像的小卡給我，不讓我買我在門口挑選的卡片。

後來奶奶跟我解釋，卡片是當有人過世會寫給他們的家人的緬懷卡片，類似節哀之類的內容，因為奶奶太害怕我買回去送人所以直接阻止我，也太可愛了吧！

The grandmother went to a corner and grabbed a small card featuring the image of the Virgin Mary. She refused to let me buy the card I had chosen at the entrance. Later, she explained to me that the card was meant to be a memorial card for someone who had passed away, a card of condolences to their family. She was afraid that I would buy it and give it to someone, so she stopped me. It was really adorable of her to be so concerned.

附上奶奶幫我換的聖母像小卡跟紀念幣，紀念幣還有絨布收納包非常可愛。

買完走出去與友人相會，告訴她剛剛發生的故事。

她回答我就像是外國人來台灣買冥紙要回去做紀念我們也會阻止她吧！

After completing my purchase and meeting up with my friend, I told her about the incident that just happened. She responded by saying, "It's like a foreigner coming to Taiwan to buy ghost money and taking it back as a souvenir. We would also stop them, wouldn't we?"

我說對耶！我也會害怕她把冥紙買回去送人！畢竟冥紙上面還有金箔看起來是很漂亮沒錯。

I agree! I would also be afraid if she brought the ghost money back to give as a gift! After all, the gold foil on the ghost money does look beautiful.

參觀完整個教堂非常推薦一定要親自來才能懂這種震撼的感官體驗，外頭的海德公園也能直接看到教堂，非常有名的海德公園，也可以坐在這裡休息之外還看到了老爺爺們在下西洋棋，不只鬥智也要鬥體力，好喜歡這個畫面忍不住拍下來紀念。

Visiting the entire cathedral is highly recommended, as you have to experience it firsthand to understand the awe-inspiring sensory experience. You can also see the cathedral directly from Hyde Park, a famous park nearby. It's a great place to sit and relax, and I even witnessed some elderly gentlemen playing chess there. It's not just a battle of wits, but also a test of physical stamina. I loved the scene so much that I couldn't resist capturing it as a keepsake.

推薦指數我給六顆星，推薦給心煩意亂的各位都可以在這裡找到平靜。

I would give it a rating of six stars, highly recommending it to anyone feeling stressed or overwhelmed. It's a place where you can find peace and tranquility amidst the chaos of life.

聖母主教座堂 (St Mary's Cathedral)

地址：St Marys Rd, Sydney NSW

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87/100 St. Mary’s Catherdral