Visiting the Sistine Chapel is a bit like Christmas. You spend a lot of time waiting and preparing, getting excited and hearing stories about what it will be like. Our guide John, did an excellent job of educating us about the context of the art. He explained the scenes of the chapel ceiling (using charts), pointing out colors, figures and scenes so that when we finally arrived, we were familiar with the material and could just experience its personal impact. Stories of Michelangelo’s temperament and dislike of painting brought the material alive as well.
So spending some time in the Sistine Chapel was pretty special! I particularly enjoyed the colors—lapis lazuli, golden oranges, reds…The bodies so beautifully robed (or not), the feeling of motion and beauty and God’s action through the ages came beautifully alive. We left feeling pretty sated and did our "post-Christmas dinner walk" over to St Peters.
Here again, John did a lovely job of preparing and leading us through the experience. He made explicit the intentional illusions of size that occur in the Basilica. Across the piazza, statues of saints welcome pilgrims as they enter. From the entrance, I felt surprisingly comfortable—the cathedral didn’t feel overwhelming. As an individual, I felt invited in to pray. Michaelangelo's Pieta here was stunning, absolutely beautiful.
As we moved forward through the nave of the church, its enormity began to dawn on me. The ceiling is decorated in gold. Huge marble columns line the nave on both sides. We heard music and responses as 5 o’clock mass began at a distant side alter. Markers in the center aisle indicated the length of other great cathedrals as we continued to move forward. Surpassing Chartres, surpassing St Patrick's in NYC, still we moved forward, closer we got to the bronze canopied alter.
When John pointed out the use of the original pillars from the old St Peter's Basilica, I was amazed! They looked like candy canes, not full size structures! It was the size and design of the bronze columns of the canopy that will stay with me, that and the golden “chair of St Peter” with its "gloria" alabaster window designed by Bernini behind the main alter. WOW.
We left the church quietly and felt a sense of peace. It had been a very moving and memorable experience for each of us.
So spending some time in the Sistine Chapel was pretty special! I particularly enjoyed the colors—lapis lazuli, golden oranges, reds…The bodies so beautifully robed (or not), the feeling of motion and beauty and God’s action through the ages came beautifully alive. We left feeling pretty sated and did our "post-Christmas dinner walk" over to St Peters.
Here again, John did a lovely job of preparing and leading us through the experience. He made explicit the intentional illusions of size that occur in the Basilica. Across the piazza, statues of saints welcome pilgrims as they enter. From the entrance, I felt surprisingly comfortable—the cathedral didn’t feel overwhelming. As an individual, I felt invited in to pray. Michaelangelo's Pieta here was stunning, absolutely beautiful.
As we moved forward through the nave of the church, its enormity began to dawn on me. The ceiling is decorated in gold. Huge marble columns line the nave on both sides. We heard music and responses as 5 o’clock mass began at a distant side alter. Markers in the center aisle indicated the length of other great cathedrals as we continued to move forward. Surpassing Chartres, surpassing St Patrick's in NYC, still we moved forward, closer we got to the bronze canopied alter.
When John pointed out the use of the original pillars from the old St Peter's Basilica, I was amazed! They looked like candy canes, not full size structures! It was the size and design of the bronze columns of the canopy that will stay with me, that and the golden “chair of St Peter” with its "gloria" alabaster window designed by Bernini behind the main alter. WOW.
We left the church quietly and felt a sense of peace. It had been a very moving and memorable experience for each of us.
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