Bo Aung Kyaw Street, Yangon, Myanmar
St. Mary's Cathedral
The Catholic cathedral of Yangon, a red brick Gothic Revival church built during British colonial rule that has survived wars, military dictatorship, and tropical decay to remain the center of Catholic life in Myanmar.
St. Mary's Cathedral stands on Bo Aung Kyaw Street in downtown Yangon, a red brick Gothic Revival building with a tall spire, pointed arches, and buttresses that would look at home in industrial-era England. It was built in 1899 by the Missions Etrangeres de Paris and has endured Japanese occupation during World War II, decades of military rule, and the constant pressures of Yangon's tropical climate. The interior has a high nave, carved wooden furnishings, and stained glass that has been repaired and replaced over the decades. Myanmar's Catholics are a small minority — about one percent of the population — concentrated among the Chin, Kachin, and Karen ethnic groups. The cathedral serves as their most visible institution in the largest city, and it draws attention far beyond its size.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Yangon
Style: Gothic Revival
What to See
The red brick exterior is striking amid Yangon's mix of colonial and modern buildings. Inside, the high nave has good proportions and the carved wooden furnishings show real skill. The stained glass is a mix of old and new. The church grounds offer a pocket of quiet in a noisy city.
Pilgrim Notes
Yangon is Myanmar's largest city, though no longer the capital. The cathedral is in the downtown area, near Sule Pagoda and the colonial-era waterfront. Travel conditions in Myanmar vary — check current advisories. The Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the great Buddhist shrines of the world, is a short taxi ride away.