Our Western Heritage Fall 2019

Blog discusison posts for Our Western Heritage. 

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How many times does it take to get a good photo? Too many...

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The reason that I chose to write about Sainte-Chapelle is because of how beautiful the stained glass windows were. In case you didn't know... stained glass is one of my favorite things!

King Louis IX built Saint-Chapelle to house his collection of relics. He had intended for there to be over 20 relics housed here. The relics were shown to the people of Paris on Good Friday every year by King Louis IX. We only have 3 of these relics remaining: a nail, a crown, and a piece of the cross. They are no longer housed here. This is significant because of its connection to the church and its belief in relics. It shows to what extent he was willing to go to create somewhere this elaborate for God. It brought to life for how far people would go for the church, and also how someone was able to use their talents to God's glory.

In the upstairs chapel, there are 618 meters squared of stained glass. When you walk in, you are overwhelmed. Your eyes dance around the room as you try to capture the essence of the place as a whole. There are stories from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, with over 1,100 characters from the Bible pictured. There is also a rose-shaped window panel that was added later in the 15th century. It has a total of 87 petals.

The stained glass was essential to the people of the past. Many could not read, or they did not have their own Bible, so this allowed them the chance to learn about the Bible magnificently.

I think that Saint-Chapelle is still important to us today because it brings to life Bible stories in ways that I have never thought about them before. I appreciated how detailed and thought out each panel was, and I was impressed with how they all came together to create one story--the story of God’s love for His creation.

Saint-Chapelle was incredible, and I can only imagine how much beautiful Heaven will be!

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Christ Church in Dublin

Christ Church in Dublin has been one of my favorite Cathedrals because of its crypt and beautiful exterior. Formerly a Viking church around 1030 AD, over time, it became an Irish church by 1152. Several historical officials were affiliated with the church. Since 1870 they have followed the Church of Ireland general synod, which decides the church's canon law, policies, and other liturgical policies. They also do many things with St. Patrick's church. Their choirs often sing together, and in their past, have shared deans between the churches. The church represents endurance and adaptability. It has remained a beacon of hope through the years for those living in Ireland.

The stained glass had me mesmerized as I was trying to look at each story. It made me realize how blessed we are to be able to read and to have personal copies of the Bible.

Underneath the church was a crypt. It was significant to the people of the past because it was a meeting place for the people of Dublin, even having a pub in it at one point in time. Now it is used to store several artifacts. My favorite was a Magna Carta, which was the first copy of the Magna Carta to leave England. The Foxy Friars gift shop is also down below, featuring lots of lovely Irish wear. My second favorite was the mummified cat and rat that were found in an organ perfectly preserved.

While we were touring Christ Church, we were smushed between several primary school groups on a field trip. I loved seeing the church from their perspective. Overhearing their comments and conversations as they completed their worksheets in the crypt made me appreciate it more. I may be a little jealous that they get to casually come on a field trip to such a historical place.

I chose to write about Christ Church because that visit was a reminder to myself to always appreciate what is around me like the children did. It also showed me the importance of preserving and supporting preservation programs so that generations to come have the same opportunity that we do to study these important places.

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Germany/Austria

I did not originally plan to write about The Fortress of Hohensalzburg, but I have enjoyed researching it and studying it more than I initially realized. I believe that its connection to our course is that it shows the power of being unified towards a common goal. Throughout our class, we have seen major advancements and accomplishments when groups of people would work together, and that is a theme that we see with building and maintaining the Fortress. 

Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschuch made renovations to a medieval castle between 1495-1519 AD to build a place outside of the city where the Archbishops would be safe, and this was the start of what we know today as the Fortress. 

 The most impressive part of its history is when the Hasengraben Bastion was constructed between 1618-1648 AD. Battles up until this point were fought in hand-to-hand combat, but the invention and implementation of the cannon added a new variable that the castle that would be a turning point in the way battles were fought. A bastion is a tower that holds the weapons to defend against attacks, in this case it was made to hold the cannons to protect against intruders from a long range. Archbishop Paris von Lodron is responsible for ordering the trench around the castle to be filled to support the weight of 4,000 cannons added to help protect the Fortress from intruders. For over 500 years after, the Fortress stayed up to date with advancements in technology.

The Fortress mattered to the people of the past because it helped to keep them safe, which in turn helped Salzburg to grow into the town it is today. I believe that the Fortress represents power and unity. We all know that the Fortress had to be robust enough to withstand threats. This not only came by the sturdy physical structure, but also through the unified work of the soldiers and guards who protected it. The Fortress would be nearly useless if there were not people willing to sacrifice to defend it. By working as a team and being unified towards a common goal of protecting the Archbishop, they remained unconquered.

I believe that the Fortress matters to the world today because it is a great accomplishment to remain unconquered and to be one of the most massive fortresses in Europe. The Fortress is also in good shape, meaning it is an ideal tourist spot, and a great lookout point of the city. 

While I may not build a fortress that shoots cannons in my lifetime, I am confident that I can accomplish other meaningful things with my life. It encourages me to build a strong foundation in the Lord and to become unified with my Christian brothers and sisters around me. I know that powerful things can happen if I put Him first. While the Fortress may not last forever, I am encouraged that my Stronghold will always protect me, from now until eternity. 

"My lovingkindness and my Fortress,

My high tower and my deliverer,

My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,

Who subdues my people under me."

-Psalm 144: 2, NKJV

My first view of the fortress, and the one that will be forever engrained into my mind. Wow, just wow. 

At the bottom of the Funicular exit, Dr. McLaughlin proudly poses after going up a ways to read the sign, and to take a look at the stairs to his left. 

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Beguinage in Bruges

I decided to write about this area because I find it commendable that these women choose to live a simple life serving God.

Originally, this place was home to the Beguinage nuns from 1245-1927, when the last nun left. Nuns from the Order of St. Benedict live there now. We can see connections to the reformation from both of these monasteries, but I want to discuss the St. Benedict nuns on this post.

During the reformation in the 16thcentury, we see strife and tribulations to the monastic lifestyle. In places where protestant beliefs were strong, many people went back to their former lives outside of the monastery. In Catholic areas, the Benedictine monetarism began to grow. More than 95% of monasteries were destroyed or suppressed after 1760, but it did not stop the St. Benedict nuns. They kept on, and in the 19 centuries, we see it begin to grow again. While the Order of St. Benedict nuns may not have lived on this property since the reformation, we see that if they had not survived under the threat of the reformation, we would not have them in Bruges today. We can also appreciate that the Beguinage nuns were able to stand strong through the reformation, even though I am certain that they faced tribulations because of it.

One surprising fact I learned is that the women who live here have a leading role in the church there. Next time I am in Bruges, I want to plan a tour to visit this place. I would love to sit down and interview one of the ladies that live here now. 

Research from: www.osb.org

Unfortunately, there were signs posted requesting silence and no photos, so I have attached a picture from the general area.

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La Conciergerie

Even though most famously known as the prison of Marie Antoinette, we learned that La Conciergerie had another purpose before 1792 when it became the Revolutionary Tribunal and holding area for prisoners.

The structure of La Conciergerie was built around 1200 and was known as the Palais de la Cité. It housed the royal family until King Charles decided to move his residence to the Lourve in the 14th century. The Revolutionary Tribunal, trials for political offenders during the French revolution, was held here in La Conciergerie.

When we first walked in, I was surprised at how blank it looked. While I know that decorations add a lot to the atmosphere, I couldn't imagine it looking much better with decorations. You could almost feel the somber atmosphere of the 18th century.  You would have never been able to guess that this was a royal house before being a prison.

There was one room that caught me off guard, making me feel like the world stopped, as my eyes drifted from corner to corner. This room was filled with names of those who were held during the Revolutionary Tribunal between 1793-1795. More than 4,000 people's names are inscribed on tile panels around the room. This room is significant because it continues to honor those who were tried and held here, even if they were acquitted instead of killed. On the wall were these powerful words, "Keeping the memory of those who were guillotined was a way of honouring them as martyrs and resisting the Republic."

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Feeling the “S Curve” vibe.

Thanks for the inspiration, Our Western Heritage. 

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Located in The British Library, the Wycliffite Bible caught my eye because of its bold colors, pretty font, and its overall size. It is the earliest Bible manuscript in English that can be securely dated to around 1400. It is larger than the other Bibles featured in the collection, which suggests that this copy was for situations where the verses would be read orally. The picture below features the initial for Psalm 26. It has finely decorated borders and designs made from gold and colored ink, similar to the Latin translations. This Bible was owned by the youngest son of Edward III, Thomas Woodstock, who was the Duke of Gloucester. I believe that the events leading up to and after this Bible translation are just as important as the book itself.  

John Wycliffe, a professor at Oxford, wrote about his opinions on the abuse and corruption of the catholic church. He encouraged people to start thinking for themselves. Wycliffe believed that everyone should have access to the scripture in their language, which prompted him to initiate the translation. It is unclear how much of the Bible he personally translated, but we do know that his younger partner John Purvey revised the Wycliffite Bible in 1388.

This Bible represents the progress of the pre-reformation era. He was not afraid to disagree with the leaders of the catholic church and question their beliefs and practices. This is one of the earliest examples of a person gaining popularity for speaking their mind against the church. It was impactful because it was an example to the people that they could question, analyze, and study what the Bible was teaching instead of just believing what the Pope said.

I believe that this has a connection to our course because it shows the progress that happened during this era. As we continue through our class, we see how one action sets the foundation for a more significant event. We see this going on even today. Even though this is just a Bible, it helped empower people to open their eyes and see how they can understand the world around them in a different way. This helped to fuel the reformation, which allows the world to start progressing towards the modern era.

This Bible is important to us because it helps us to appreciate what was done in the past to pave the way for our present.  We continue to treasure it because this translation led to the Kings James Bible (written in 1666), which laid the foundation for our modern translations today. If John Wycliffe had not been curious enough to question what he was being taught, we might not have the Bible we have today.

The reason that I chose this as one of the highlights of our United Kingdom trip is that I think we often underappreciate the Bible that we have today. We can read the Bible from our phones, at home, in the car, at school, and during worship. There is even a Bible in most hotel rooms if you happen to misplace yours. We have access to the Bible in hundreds of languages and translations. We can look up a question day or night, and we can be curious. We can search freely to find the answer.

I know that I often do not think about the work, the persecution, and the hardships that helped to make the Bible what it is today. When I looked at that Bible, I could only imagine the blood, sweat, and tears that handcrafted each letter. While this is just one small portion of "the Bible story," it is one that I will never forget having the opportunity to see firsthand.

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Flowers Galore

We had a wonderful trip to Aachen, Germany. Stopping to look at the beautiful flowers around the city was my favorite part of the day. Here is one of my favorite shots.