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Purtroppo “la nostra vita e la nostra memoria” ci portano a dimenticare questi aspetti del comportamento della nostra specie, che invece faremmo bene a ricordare. Il sostegno si esplica nella raccolta dei fondi necessari alla conservazione delle strutture della fondazione e della cattedrale e alla promozione turistica del sito.

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL GUIDE

The Cathedral is built on the site of the former Slave Market once an open space surrounded by small houses. In the middle was the whipping post where slaves could be punished or tested to see how much pain they were able to endure. No trace of the original market remains but the high altar of the Cathedral now stands on the site of the whipping post.         The movement to abolish the slave trade was instigated by William Wilberforce and propagated by the British Churches. Selling men and women into slavery was abolished by decree of the Sultan Eyed Baraga’s on the 6th June 1873. The market was closed. A missionary from England, the Rev. Arthur Nugent West, then bought part of the site. A Hindu merchant, Jairam Senji, gave the rest to the church. Building started on Christmas Day 1873, and was completed when the first Eucharist was celebrated on Christmas Day 1880. The architect was Mr. C.F.Hayward FSA who sent the plans from England to Bishop Edward Steere, who supervised all the work. The name Christ Church was chosen for the first permanent church of the mission here, as Christ Church was the dedication of St. Augustine’s first cathedral in Canterbury. Also it is in memory of the Rev. A.N. West who died on Christmas Day 1874. The Cathedral has a link with David Livingstone. In 1857, the explorer had made speeches in the universities of  Oxford and Cambridge about the suffering caused by the slave trade. This resulted in missionaries of the Universities Mission to Central Africa from the UK arriving in the 1 860’s to preach the gospel and to build the Cathedral.  Walk up the Nave towards the High Altar. The second stained glass window on the right side is a memorial to David Livingstone and other explorers who passed through Zanzibar in the 19th century when it was the main centre of trade and travel on the East Coast of Africa. On the left hand side of the 4th pillar at the entrance to the Sanctuary is the Livingstone Cross. This is made from the wood from the tree under which David Livingstone died at Chitambo in Zambia in 1873 and where his heart is buried. It was brought to the Cathedral in 1901 in his memory. The round marble file in front of the High Altar reminds us of the tree trunk used as a whipping post for the slaves. Miss Caroline Thackeray gave the beautiful mosaics on the High Altar. She was a teacher serving the Church from 1877 to her death in 1926. (She was the cousin of the English novelist Thackery).Bishop Steere’s tomb  (grave) is behind the altar.He died on the 27th August 1882 after a heart attack. The Swahili Inscription reads, “Here lies the body of Edward Steere, our third bishop who died 27 August 1882”. Behind the grave, against the wall of the apse, is the official throne of the Bishop of Zanzibar. On either side of the stalls are finely carved seats/stalls with copper panel showing figures from the Old Testament. These are for the 12 Canons of the Diocese of Zanzibar. On the south side of the sanctuary, is the pipe organ made in England by Willis in 1880. It is in good order and still used for music for the services. The loft is entered from outside by its own door and staircase. Returning towards the main door, you see the Gallery, built for women to have a separate place from men, in a Muslim society. This is ignored nowadays.

At the rear of the nave are 12 marble pillars, erected while Bishop Steere was away on safari. Unfortunately, they were placed upside down. It was too late to rectify the mistake. The marble, together with the flooring marble, was bought in Italy.first locals were baptized in 1865. Under the gallery, on your right is the carved stone font use since 1880 for the Baptism of new Christians.the font is a window in memory of the sailors who died in Zanzibar, campaigning against the slave trade, which continued illegally after 1873. This window shows the Baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:38). was part of Canterbury Cathedral in England. It was cut out of the wall in Canterbury Cathedral and given to Zanzibar Cathedral in 1930 by the Friends of Christ Church Cathedral as a sign of friendship and to show their link with Zanzibar. Christians in Zanzibar are thought to be some 3%. Nowadays the services are held in Kiswahili, as almost all the worshippers are local. The main service is at 9am on Sundays all are welcome. Any donation would be gratefully received in the box above the Visitors’ book. Please sign the Visitors’ Book before leaving. Add your comments and suggestions.  you leave the church, note the fine carved doors made of East African mahogany when the cathedral was built.  Look up to see the bell tower. When the cathedral was built, the Sultan Seyyd Baragash, asked that the tower should not Exceed the height of the to this palace (Beit-ei-Ajab - House of Wonders) and this was agreed. The Sultan himself presented the Clock Tower.  There is also St. John’ Church at Mbweni (4 miles away) where there was formerly a village for freed slaves. The Church runs a Nursery School in the Cathedral compound. 

Per info su prenotazioni od altro potete rivolgervi a noi  oppure direttamente a:      Paul Spencer [monicaszanzibar@hotmail.com]