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Cathedral gets stamp of approval for Christmas

Royal Mail The Dean of Armagh, The Very Reverend Shane Forster, holding a small sign with the image of the stamp design on it - the stamp is an illustration of St Patrick's Cathedral with lots of children outside of it playing in the snow. The cathedral is covered in snow with the lights on and the sky has a dark sunset. The Dean is standing outside the cathedral while holding the stamp. Royal Mail
The Dean of Armagh, the Very Reverend Shane Forster, with a larger than life stamp

One of Royal Mail’s Christmas stamps may ring some bells for some people in Northern Ireland.

This year’s festive collection features illustrations of five cathedrals, including St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh.

The cathedral has been given a Christmas makeover with carol singers and a good sprinkling of snow.

The Dean of Armagh, the Very Reverend Shane Forster, said he was delighted the cathedral had been chosen and the artist had portrayed a “lovely traditional winter scene”.

Royal Mail The stamp is an illustration of St Patrick's Cathedral with lots of children outside of it playing in the snow. The cathedral is covered in snow with the lights on and the sky has a dark sunset. It says "2nd Class Large" on it.Royal Mail
The drawing shows light shining out through the cathedral’s stained-glass windows

The drawings are the work of Cornwall-based artist Judy Joel.

Dean Forster said she was to be congratulated for creating a very special set of seasonal stamps which send out a message of joy and hope at Christmas.

“The cathedrals that feature on the stamps stand as symbols of faith at the very centre of each picture and at the heart of their local communities,” he added.

St Patrick’s will feature on the second class large Christmas stamp.

Royal Mail The stamp for Bangor. It is an illustration of St Deiniol's Cathedral - it has Bangor written at the top left hand corner, a silhouette of the King's head in the top right, Large is written in the bottom right and 1st in the bottom left. The scene is one of a brown Cathedral with stained glass windows. There are people playing the snow outside with a large Christmas tree to the right. Royal Mail
Another one from Northern Ireland?

The other cathedrals included in the collection are Liverpool, Bangor, Westminster and Edinburgh.

Alas, it is not the Bangor of County Down. While it may now be a city, it does not have a cathedral.

The Bangor in question is the one in Wales, which has St Deiniol's Cathedral.

The history of St Patrick's

St Patrick's Cathedral is one of two cathedrals that the city of Armagh is known for.

The Church of Ireland cathedral stands on the hill from which the city derives its name - Ard Mhacha, the Height of Macha.

St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral sits less than half a mile away on the neighbouring hill.

According to tradition, St Patrick came to Armagh and asked the local chieftain for the land to build a church.

After initially being refused, he was given the site and built his first church in 445 AD.

The current Church of Ireland cathedral sits on the same land as the original church built by St Patrick, which he ordained should have pre-eminence over all the churches of Ireland.

To this day Armagh remains the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.