History, tradition, beauty?

There are many beautifully decorated places of worship worldwide, and I would say we’ve been in a couple today.

The Cathedral in Valencia, or to give it it’s full name, The Metropolitan Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, is certainly one of them.  The gold leaf covered items, the wonderful painted ceiling above the main altar, ornate statues and figures and the many sculptures dating back centuries, even the claim to have the Holy Grail (sorry Indiana). No doubt this is an impressive building and its historic value as a place of worship is pretty formidable, this site having been used by Romans worshiping Jupiter and Diana, then Christians, Muslims and Christians again all dating back 2000 years, but is it a holy space?

Round the corner from the Cathedral is the parochial church of Saint Catherine. This church dedicated to the virgin martyr who became a Christian at 14, brought many to a faith in Christ, and died a brutal death at the age of 18 for refusing to denounce her faith in Jesus.  The church is sparsely decorated, simple figures, and unassuming altar with just a large wood carving of Christ on the cross.  At the far end of the church facing the altar a stained glass window depicting the wheel that shattered at the touch of Catherine’s hand when she was about to be tortured on it.

Two contracting places of worship, where no doubt many find and feel God, and that’s all well and good, but for me?  Maybe my upbringing in a protestant tradition, a ‘flat-roofer as a previous ex-assistant director mine used to call me, but, the place where I felt I could stay, sit, and talk to God was at the church of Saint Catherine.  This place just felt like a place of prayer, of quiet contemplation and in one of the side chapels, a statue of Our Lady of the Vocation with an inscription in Spanish ‘Senor que quieres de mi’, Lord, what do you want from me, an open dedication of life to the service of the Lord.  Maybe that also struck a note with me and my journey of faith, along with others.