CARIBARENA Antigua & Barbuda

The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine has been forced to close its doors from this Sunday to begin necessary renovations. While speaking to Caribarena, Dean Rudolph Smithen said although they had been doing periodic repairs, certain sections need serious attention.

Services will be held at the Dean William Lake Cultural Centre from this Sunday at 6:15 and 8:00 am.

The decision was in part due to a recent incident during rehearsals for a Christmas programme. A tile broke, causing a teacher to fall through a portion of the floor. “We cannot risk another incident like that so we decided to begin the renovation works," he said. "We don’t have any money, but we know we are going to get the work done."

According to Smithen, contractors will be repairing the floor and the roof at the same time. “We are currently advertising for tenders, and from that we are going to have an idea as to how long the work will last,” he added. “For me personally, I will be happy if it can be completed in two months.”

The restoration work was initially scheduled for January 2010.

Smithen told Caribarena the Cathedral will be hosting a number of fund-raising activities. “We will be calling on the public, Anglicans and non-Anglicans, to assist, because this is not just a church, it’s a historic structure,” he said.

Comments (4)

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written by Fr. Reid, December 11, 2009

The Cathedral cannot be a testimony to the glory of the Queen. It is a place of worship! Its presence is not predicated on what the Queen does or does not do. It speaks to the presence of God through the ages, even at a time when the immoral and evil institution was being perpetuated in the supposed name of Jesus Christ.
It is still the people's Church and will forever remain a national landmark regardless of what we or others may say. In fact , it is one of the first things which the eyes behold as one enters the city of St. Johns. By the way, the Cathderal is responsible for St. John's being acknowledged as a city.
In as much as history does not reflect our humanity and our integrity as black people, the church of God and very specially this Cathedral has served and will continue to serve those who within the Anglican faith are willing to worship and serve God faithfully.

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no graven images or any likeness of anythin in , above, or under the earth
written by maat, December 11, 2009

But then again, maybe i am going before myself here and its really the queens governments responsibility to fix it. After all the first thing they do when they get into office is pledge allegiance to their captors (the queen) her heirs, and all (all) her successors, so help them god! my poor granny who juz carry food a factory, pan she head fe sell from cooks hill, ah wonder who go pledge allegiance to she..Gosh!!

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no graven images or any likeness of anythin in , above, or under the earth
written by maat, December 11, 2009

It is unfathomable to me to think that you are going to ask..parishioners, modern day slaves, the children of ex slaves to donate money to repair an institution whose very existence is a testament of Britain’s glory in conquest, and her established relationship with the Scottish rite freemasonic order.
What national landmark? chuptz! why oh why wont my people begin to hold their captors responsible for their actions…Ask the governor general to write a letter to her queen and ask for some sugar cane money, and cotton money, and rebuild the church you have come to glory in.

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no graven images or any likeness of anythin in , above, or under the earth
written by maat, December 11, 2009

When the great Soloman wasbuilding the temple the most high appeared to him and said; will a building hold me? where is the building which will hold me, am i to dwell in a building made with hands. we having a vigil because a church building is closing..what kinda idolatry ritual is this? what should happen is that we should tell the queen, your queen and her Freemason partners who built the church to fork out some of the old money they garnered from the chattel house slavery system to build the church.

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