the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
in Christchurch
is a metal box likely containing hundreds of holy relics – a historical treasure trove set to be uncovered after 50 years of near total obscurity.
As the earth shook and buildings crumbled, a statue of the Virgin Mary in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament spun 180 degrees to look out over the ruins of Christchurch. In the days after the February 2011 earthquake, the figure became revered as a quake survival symbol. Not so the cathedral. After more than a century of use, the beautiful neo-classical structure with its elegant columns and austere, spacious interior is being demolished — the Oamaru stone masonry, witness to countless prayers and scenes of quiet devotion, smashed into a jumbled pile of expressionless rubble.