Held all year round: History of early Sydney Church exhibited in St Mary's Cathedral Crypt

Entitled The First Australian Catholics - from convict ships to the great fire, this exhibition has been a very attractive reason to visit St Mary's.

Included in the exhibition are several display cases of some fascinating artefacts from those early days: The oaken tabernacle which housed the Blessed Sacrament left in the custody of lay people in the Colony in 1817; Convict Vestments, made about 1800 from damask silk which is dated as early as 1750; Candlesticks and crucifix which is believed to have been used in the first official Mass in 1803; The Marriage dollar said to have been loaned to financially embarrassed bridegrooms by Fr Therry to pay for their marriage service; artefacts of John Bede Polding, first Archbishop of Sydney.

The Crypt may at times be closed for events. Please contact the Cathedral on 9220 0400 for opening times.