Leave a comment

Comments 21

deltamiss January 20 2010, 11:29:49 UTC
How utterly impressive! Thanks for the background info, too. I knew a little of the history already, but you've included things I didn't know.

I'm a sucker for stained glass. Maureen did a paper in college about the history of stained glass (I typed it) and fell in love with the process and, in turn, fell in love with churches, cathedrals around the world.

Reply

bojojoti January 20 2010, 19:16:33 UTC
I have a deep love of grand architecture, and none is more awe-inspiring than a Gothic cathedral.

For me, the stained glass is unusual in this cathedral as it depicts 20th-century events as well as the traditional Biblical ones. I'll post a few photos of the glass in the next post.

Reply


(The comment has been removed)

bojojoti January 20 2010, 19:33:11 UTC
Our church undertook a building program after years of struggling to manage in our landlocked area. We had continued to buy houses around us, but our growth kept up with the purchase of every home. We finally gutted the entire church of all its Sunday School rooms to have room for the sanctuary. All Sunday School classes were held in the different houses. A family with several children would have to pick up one child across the street, another behind the church, and still others down the block. So, we finally started a building fund to save for the millions it would cost for another facility (which is the correct way to do it rather than go in debt ( ... )

Reply


curiouswombat January 20 2010, 13:12:01 UTC
What a fascinating, and beautiful, building.

But gosh what a history - and I thought it had taken a while to build The Liverpool Anglican Cathedral! Although architecturally Liverpool Metropolitan had an even bigger architectural change than

He intended to dismantle the dome over the Crossing and erect a massive Gothic tower in its place.

Would have been!

Reply

bojojoti January 20 2010, 19:54:22 UTC
The Liverpool Anglican Cathedral has a similar story. The World Wars had their impact--I'm very glad the damage to LAC was minor from the bombings.

Oh, dear, on the Liverpool Metropolitan. It seems quite beautiful on the inside, but it looks like combination hog feeder

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61516330@N00/1058464030

corn crib
http://www.butternutridgefarm.com/images/wirecribandbin.jpg

and silo
http://www.optimumengineering.com.au/cyclone_silos/cyclone_silo_4.jpg

On one hand, I'm drawn to it as a familiar farm sight; on the other, I'm aghast that design was deemed the best of all submitted.

However, I have no room to talk as I attend a church that looks like the Power Rangers Command Center!

Reply

curiouswombat January 20 2010, 20:29:01 UTC
Yes - I can see what you mean! It is very much a child of its time and it is difficult to find a picture that makes it in any way beautiful from the outside. This one, taken from the flat area which is actually the roof of the massive crypt of the original design, does try.

In Liverpool, when it was first built, they called it 'Paddy's Wigwam' as most of the city's Catholic population were first or second generation Irish...

Reply

bojojoti January 21 2010, 19:17:41 UTC
That is a lovely photo, but my hat is off to the photographer--not to the architect!

Paddy's Wigwam--I take it the residents were equally unimpressed with the design! Although, there is something to be said for being different, and this design is that. Memorable, at least.

Reply


arhyalon January 20 2010, 13:57:55 UTC
Really gorgeous.

Reply

bojojoti January 20 2010, 19:56:23 UTC
It is ethereally beautiful. One can easily believe that it is centuries older than it is.

Reply


(The comment has been removed)

bojojoti January 20 2010, 20:00:02 UTC
As our tour guide explained, Saint John the Divine operates on "cathedral time." Nothing moves swiftly.

SJtD abuts Harlem. Rather than be built on the blood and gold of the poor, it has channeled the wealth of those who give into services to help the needy. Hence, its inability to finish itself. Investing in people seems a worthier way to channel Christ's love than add another spire or dome.

Reply


Leave a comment

Up