Daily, this student could be seen after school on her knees, a tiny figure in the imposing surroundings of the Holy Trinity Cathedral on North Street. She had taken one look at the crowded bus stop by Emerald Road (now George Headley Drive) and escaped to the Cathedral to pray until the crush subsided. That student was me and I am forever grateful for the interludes of grace in that holy space.
Thank goodness that Thalia Lyn, on hearing that the Cathedral was in a maintenance crisis, reached out to then Ambassador Jesus Silva for the assistance of the government of Spain. The NCB Foundation, chaired by Lyn, joined forces with the Cathedral Restoration Committee, led by then Archbishop Lawrence Burke, May Lowe, resident architect Clifton Yap, Enith Williams, Errol Moo Young and then Monsignor Kenneth Richards. The goodly Professor Antonio Sanchez Barriga visited the Cathedral in 2006, and volunteered his services pro-bono to 2010. Recruiting and training 34 young women and men from the surrounding communities, Professor Barriga was able to uncover the exquisite creations by the Jesuit priest Father Francis J Schroen in 1910 –1911, that had been coated with marine paint.
Ambassador Silva’s successor, Ambassador Celsa Nuño continued this support, hosting concerts so the public could enjoy the refreshed environment. The baton was passed to the keen Spain Chargée d’Affaires Carmen Rives. Now Ambassador for Spain Josep Maria Bosch has once again welcomed Professor Barriga to Jamaica, to update and complete several aspects of the restoration.
“Dear friends of the Holy Trinity Cathedral,” said Ambassador Bosch at a recent reception in Prof Barriga’s honour, “to have on board on this project , Professor Sanchez Barriga is a real privilege as he is one of the leading world experts in conservation and restoration … He has been a restorer at the Museo Del Prado, in the National Archaeological Museum Of Madrid and he has established a restoration centre in Jerusalem and has been working in important archaeological sites in Egypt, Rome and London.”
No wonder then that the popular tour company “Island Routes” now includes a tour of the Cathedral for international visitors, who have compared our Cathedral with some of the finest in Europe.
Hon Denis Lalor has blessed the project with his kind patronage and is inviting Jamaicans to support the continued maintenance of this exquisite National Heritage Site.
Jamaica Highlights 