The Loreto

The Loreto
Lauren Brooks
The other day Brooklyn and I ventured out on our own to examine this church and famous pilgrimage site. It was by far one of the weirdest and most interesting places I have been to so far in Prague. Looking at it afterwards it still feels like a very mysterious place. I don’t know where to begin. The Loreto is an Italian term and means the house where the annunciation of Jesus took place, it originated in Italy and when Christianity spread throughout Eastern Europe many replicas of these houses were built to help sway people to the Christian faith. All throughout Eastern Bohemia these churches sprang up and were very important in pilgrimages of the faith. It is connected with the Capuchin Order of Monks who still care for the chapel. It is widely by tourists for 2 main reasons, the immense collection of expensive jewels and the carillon bells.
Brooklyn and I had the chance to experience this amazing place and by far the most interesting exhibit were the immense and expensive jewels they had. The most expensive piece they had is called the Diamond Monstrance which features over 6,000 diamonds. This piece is only used on very very special occasions; the last time it was used was 1999 for a pilgrim celebration, over 300 years after it had been made. This room was literally blinding with the amount of jewels that these cups, altar pieces and crucifixes contained.
While I appreciate the splendor and the praise that these pieces of art were made for I also wonder where the line between worship and over-indulgence concerned in art is. The “gaudiness” of some of these pieces I really question? Couldn’t we hawk a bunch of these goblets, chalices, and altarpieces and feed like a third world country or half of Africa. I mean why do we need all this ornamentation, I don’t picture God as the kind of person who would want that gaudy chalice or altar piece, I think his focus would be on feeding the hungry, I mean isn’t that what our focus should be in being “like Christ”? Just something to think about the next time your church wants a new stain glassed window…

amy- The Sweet Calm

Monasteries always hold a degree of mystery and wonder to me. It takes me to a place of calm and peace within my heart. I feel free to let my mind wander and take me into the deepest recesses of my mind. Santa Croce in Florence is one of the places that stick out in my mind as being a place of calm. It seemed far removed from the typical “downtown” area of Florence, and made me think of the greatest artists ever known worshipping there. As I explored, a calm came over me. I never wanted to leave. Santa Croce was not crowded with tourists when we arrived; the clouds seemed to be moving in and out in accordance to my thoughts. I thought of history and those who might have taken comfort within Santa Croce’s walls. I thought of the combination of art and nature working so harmoniously together in the courtyards. I thought of the respect which the artists must have given when they painted for such a prominent church in Florence. Before we went, I remember myself feeling a bit flustered about having to change plans so quickly. As a group, we had planned on doing Santa Croce the second day, but we changed it literally as we took the bus into the city. I was nervous and uptight, ready to just “follow the schedule.” I am glad that we did Santa Croce that first evening. My attitude changed after being able to wander the courtyards on my own. I went into these quiet cave-like buildings that held displays which no one was visiting. I remember just wanting to stay there and think. I am glad for those quiet times in these amazing places we were able to visit over the semester.

amy- Recitation

In chapel, here at IBTS, they often have written prayers that are to be repeated. This is very foreign to me. I often wonder the efficacy of these prayers. When I say these “prayers,” most times it feels a bit hollow and awkward. I hardly recognize my own voice and I never feel like I am fully able to get the right prayer rhythm. I really do try and feel something from these prayers, but my feelings do not get the message. In all honesty, I do not mind saying these prayers, but I want to hear the thoughts of my brothers and sisters in Christ! I feel that genuine prayers give such great insight into each person’s personality. If someone stumbles in their prayer, I could care less. I like hearing the thoughts: this is what is important to me. We have so much to learn from one another’s spiritual walks. This is such a crucial part of true fellowship. Fellowship is created by the sharing of one another’s thoughts and struggles. Pseudo-fellowship is merely politeness and action without love. One of the greatest blessings in my Christian experience has been the sense of family in the church. To know you are cared about and loved as a sister or daughter is a great feeling. I am reminded of song lyrics that say “They will know we are Christians by our love.” Church communities tend to be known as more of a stiff, cold group of people. Though I do not think that the set prayers are harmful, I think that genuine prayers are helpful. Christian relationships should always encourage and build up rather than tear down. This does not happen in one day, but by slowly infusing a sense of genuineness and honesty within our communities.

amy- Reflection on Medieval Christianity's Art

I cannot say I receive any joy from medieval art. I suppose the answer to this would be the icons are not supposed to attract the viewer to the art, but there are times I wish it had more variety. I really understand the heaviness of the medieval time period. As the viewer examines the art, he is able to feel the oppressive nature of sameness. Purely artistically speaking, I understand the term “Dark Ages.” If I step back, however, I am able to understand the practical and useful function of these artistic pieces. A change occurred within me when I stepped back and examined this historical context. Looking at all the pietas or contemplative Marys no longer held boredom, but, rather, an interest in seeing how these might have affected those who were not able to read. Jesus’ death is portrayed in such a way that it is difficult for the viewer to look at the image for long. For those in the medieval time period, Jesus could be a comfort to them in their sufferings. And yet… it is very hard for modern day man to understand these portrayals. I find that I do not fully understand them. When I see baby Jesus portrayed as a “baby-man” I cannot really take it seriously. In our practically minded society, this picture strikes us as funny, but within the coherent whole of the medieval time period, this idea of Christ is perfectly understandable.
After studying both the Italian medieval art and the art shown at Saint Agnes’ convent, I am not surprised that the Renaissance began in Italy. I feel as though the icons and medieval art in Italy held a type of artistry that genuinely wished to convey the truths of Christ. I remember at the Accademia in Venice being stunned by the complex biblical concepts the artwork attempts to convey. It was about the story rather than the art. At Saint Agnes’s convent, I felt that the work is so simplified that it did not hold the depth of the art in Italy. The Italian art held hints of the incredible heights it would reach during the Italian Renaissance.
At the same time, I do not want to be too harsh on the artwork shown here in Prague. One is able to observe how the level of skill in the art increases as the viewer sees the time period change to the 16th century. It is as if someone had turned on the light and the artists start to become more innovative. I remember specifically one of the forerunners in the new wave is a Mary who the artist dresses in black. This depiction was so different, just from the colors, that it caught my eye immediately. It is strange how the smallest change in protocol can catch the eye of an observer. After that point in the gallery, I could see the slight changes in the artwork by giving Jesus different features or showing more genuine humanity in the Biblical stories. I think by learning about the medieval time period, I have become less harsh on medieval art. It will never be my favorite, but I have a better understanding of it.

amy- The Crossing

I suppose it is a funny reality. Before this semester, I think I can safely say that Elise and I never ever thought of adopting any Catholic traditions. After this semester, I think we will have an accidental Catholic bond. I can also safely say Elise and I never would have examined our “accidental Catholicism” as academically as we did this year. The reader must understand: Elise and I have been in quite a few precarious situations. In Delphi, we were the triumphant mountain climbers, but most definitely not the triumphant dog tamers. Metaphorically and physically, the phrase “coming off the mountain,” definitely relates to us. We had a wonderful time reaching a shack on the top of a mountain in Delphi, but our bravado ceased as we attempted to find a way of getting around the loud, angry sounding barks of dogs. We would battle on, retreat, and then try and logically talk ourselves into facing the dogs. Elise and I would look at each other and go forward. We crossed the area where the fence was located. We heard the dogs barking. We looked at each other and both started crossing ourselves as we scrambled over rocks and trees trying to get out of that situation. This symbol of Christ somehow just naturally came into our minds. It was very strange, because both Elise and I come from a Protestant background. To make this story even more interesting is that we have done that not only once, but twice. When we somehow ended up in the Paris ghetto, again we looked at each other with wide frightened eyes and our hands moved from parallel to perpendicular. It is strange to find out what symbols one uses in extreme situations. Nevertheless, I think this experience can fall under the category of “experiential symbol use.”

amy- The Question of Perfection

Let me start with a disclaimer: I may be biased towards John Wesley. Yes, I have always admired his zeal. As I learn throughout my life though, zeal works as a double edged sword. Whenever one takes a strong stance for something, many times they are misunderstood and this zeal can hinder them from reaching more people. No doubt, however, this zeal also attracts some that would not normally be attracted in the first place. I see this in the case of John Wesley and discussing him in class. It is my personal opinion that John Wesley never believed that anyone could be perfect. I do not believe that he could have preached for as long as he did, and knowing the hearts of man as he did, without coming to this conclusion. I think his message was and is for believers who wish to follow Jesus’ way to the fullest extent of their ability. Yet, as I said before, this message seems as though it was strongly said, which sometimes leaves room for a one-sided understanding. If John Wesley is stressing the power of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life, it may seem as though he is stating the believer himself is achieving some form of perfection. If not understood in context, John Wesley sounds like another preacher trying to raise himself up. Paul in Romans speaks of the double nature of the Christian. To think that John Wesley did not understand this double nature and that he thought the Christian could be perfect would be to reject some of the most core beliefs of the Christian faith. Talking about John Wesley’s beliefs is interesting, but there must always be an understanding of the man in relation to the Bible. Assumptions must be made about John Wesley’s beliefs on the Bible as well. Do we think he saw Romans seven, ignored what Paul was saying, and decided that he indeed could be perfect?

amy- Counter Reformation

This summer I noticed that Dostoyevsky referenced the Jesuit order in his book The Brothers’ Karamazov quite a few times. Adding to my curiosity of Roman Catholicism or Catholicism in general, his reference seems to be very negative in parallel to the other monastic orders he references. I still probably do not know too much about the Jesuit order or the Counter Reformation, but I understand Dostoyevsky’s innuendos more from Garrett’s presentation. Like most things, the idea of the Jesuits is a beautiful ideal from the papacy at the time, but its true function turned into something quite different than the intention. The good intentions from the papacy were an attempt to overthrow the corruption of the priesthood and bring the Reformers back to the Catholic Church. The order of the Jesuits seems to mainly function as the right hand men of the pope. Now my impression of all this is one of extreme incredulity. Giving the pope the power of his own personal monastic order is dangerous. It seems that history has not been kind to this order either. Dostoyevsky makes the Jesuit name seem synonymous with trying to intellectually outwit the ideas of the Bible. I find it interesting that the order who is supposed to be closest to the pope is associated with rationalization. I think that Dostoyevsky’s book would be interesting to analyze according to what the book says about monastic life. His book is what really sparked my interest in the Counter Reformation and the contrast between the ideal and the evolution.