Sanctuary and Ambulatory

Stone of Remembrance

Sunk into the centre of the Sanctuary floor like a grave, the Stone of Remembrance is a potent reminder of the sacrifice made by Victorian service men and women. The inscription GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN is taken from the Bible, the Gospel of John, 15:13.

Ray of Light

The Ray of Light ceremony is central to the experience of the Shrine of Remembrance. A ray of natural sunlight passes through an aperture in the ceiling of the Sanctuary and falls onto the Stone of Remembrance over the word “love” at precisely 11.00 am on 11 November each year. This is the moment when the peace treaty was signed in 1918 at Versailles marking the end of hostilities in the First World War. The ceremony is now reproduced every half hour using
electric light to allow all visitors to the Shrine to experience it.

Frank Doolan, the surveyor of the Shrine, and astronomer, Dr Joseph Baldwin completed the arduous calculations to position the aperture with the help of the government. Decades later, Doolan solved the problem presented by daylight saving by inserting two mirrors within the aperture’s shaft.

See also Remembrance Day at the Shrine

Friezes

The twelve frieze panels in the Sanctuary, three on each wall, depict the tasks performed by service men and women in the First World War. The north wall depicts the Infantry in action. The south wall depicts the Australian Light Horse, Imperial Camel Corps, and Supply and Transport. The east wall depicts the Royal Australian Navy afl oat and ashore, and the Royal Australian Flying Corps. The west wall depicts Signallers and Tunnellers, Field Artillery and Medical Corps.

Lyndon Dadswell, a young sculptor, designed the friezes for the Sanctuary under the supervision of British expatriate sculptor Paul Montford. He also carved the friezes with the assistance of Victor Wager. Dadswell later served as an official war sculptor in the Second World War. The bas-reliefs are carved in Hawsbury freestone.

Ambulatory and Books of Remembrance

The Ambulatory, comprised of the side aisles surrounding the four sides of the central Sanctuary, contains the Books of Remembrance, National flags and ensigns.

The Books of Remembrance preserve the names of the 89,000 Victorians who were born or enlisted in Victoria and who served abroad in the First World War, or who died in camp prior to embarkation. The books were meticulously inscribed and illuminated by a team of nine male and female calligraphers.

Centrally located amoungst the books if the King's Book - inscribed by His Majesty, King George V. The inscription reads:

Let their names be forever held in proud remembrance