Church of the Holy Introvert: vacation day four

Friday, August 5

In which Dana and her husband Mark and I went to St. Mungo's Cathedral, which is a conflicted place. Because: in Scotland the reformation turned the Catholic churches into Presbyterian ones and Presbyterians don't have bishops and so most emphatically don't. need. cathedrals. The cathedral in Glasgow somehow escaped outright demolition and for two centuries it was split into worship spaces for three separate congregations. In the 19th century, responsibility for the building was passed to the state and it was restored to something approximating its historical layout. Today, a congregation worships there, and it looks pretty cathedral-y in places, but do not be fooled! The term cathedral "...just refers to the building. It does not have a bishop, dean, canon, priest, or vicar," cautions the cathedral website. And continues:

In 1835, the High Kirk of Glasgow reverted to being one parish – renamed ‘St Mungo’s.’ The building became a single sanctuary again. The word ‘cathedral’ reappeared. There was also interior redesign and restoration: the typically Old Reformed central high pulpit gave way to a more balanced lay out of pulpit and Communion table. There was a turn to more ceremony. An organ was installed along with a robed choir to enhance the musical experience. The clear windows were reglazed and stained by German craftsmen, but these Victorian windows were replaced in the 20th century. Use of the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed was reintroduced as was more awareness of the ‘Christian Year.’
These developments reflected the openness of modern Scottish Reformed and Presbyterian church services to usages of other denominations in an ecumenical spirit and that of continuing reformation.

So, like, it's a church, but please don't get the idea that this is how the Scots do church. How do the Scots do church? A question for next time perhaps.

Adding to the weird vibe of the whole thing is the Necropolis, a "Victorian garden cemetery" which looms up on the hill behind the cathedral. "It is a memorial to the merchant patriarchs of the city and contains the remains of almost every eminent Glaswegian of its day," explains a sign near the entrance. Remains, sure, every cemetery has those - but the eminent Glaswegians were apparently engaged in a competition to see who could have the largest statue/monument/shrine erected on top of their remains. An appropriate way to spend the spoils of colonialism, I guess?

After the heavy dose of history, Dana and Mark were ready to drive south and meet more friends, and I was ready for some modernity. I need to pick up the pace on this trip report so here come some bullet points:

the Glasgow subway is freaking adorable
the Zaha-Hadid-designed Riverside Museum [of Transport] looks: awesome. Sounds: like the screams of a hundred overexcited children amplified by high-concept architectural design. EEEEEEEEEEE!
Dough Man's Land pizza-oven-food-trailer: so. good. And friendly! Have I mentioned that I had nice little conversations-in-passing with people in Glasgow? So lovely! So different from "back home" in, as the grumpy expats say, Cheesusland!

On to photos!

The cathedral windows are a complete hodgepodge of different styles and eras. This was my very favorite. Better pictures here.

"Always returning to the same thing," says Google Translate.

"In former times none were admitted to the Sacrament unless they could produce a Communion token, evidence that in the judgement of the Kirk Session they were worthy to come to the Lord's Table." !!

looks pretty cathedral-y from here

The cathedral from the Necropolis. I wish I'd gotten a good picture from the other direction.

Tomb(s) with a view.

Obligatory science geek picture. "This commemorative stone was erected by admirers from industry and science in 2007 to mark the centenary of the death of William Thomson Lord Kelvin" (who, the next stone over informs us, is buried in Westminster Abbey. But his father and brother James are buried here.)