This is one of many videos available of the light show in Barcelona. It is not as long as some, but shows the highlights. Unfortunately there is an ad first, but it’s not long. I saw the cathedral once - many decades ago, when I was 19. There has been a great deal of work finished on it since then. I hope to see it again later this year when I visit my son and his family. To say it is totally unlike any other cathedral I’ve ever seen is. a serious understatement. It is unique. The light show is fascinating.This clip only shows a small portion of it. I don’t agree with Barron about much, but I do agree with him that the Roman Catholic Church does beauty best. Is this cathedral beautiful? Not in my personal opinion, at least not in the conventional sense. But it is magnificent. We don’t watch the news but my Barcelona-bound son sent me a link. I didn’t use that one because of length (it was from a Spanish organization) . This one is about 5 minutes. So, in case you missed it, here is a brief clip.
This cathedral is so organic. Bringing stone to life, like evolutionary creation has done on the planet. How incompatible this is with the ongoing cruelty we are now witnessing.
ReplyDeleteSagrada Familia reminds me of photos I’ve seen of some temples in Asia. The Sanctuary of Truth in Thailand is a museum apparently, and it is made of wood, but it has a similar look. There is another similar in Cambodia ( much smaller but. Similar vibe) etc.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_of_Truth
I had never seen it (nor heard of it) before. I do like it.
ReplyDeleteThat certainly was a lot of pomp and circumstance! Who was the bearded gentleman who appeared in the sky- was that supposed to be God? If so, he seemed to be dressed and groomed in rather contemporary fashion. And I thought the orchestral piece had more than a little of the film soundtrack about it. (Not dismissing any of this, just sharing impressions.) The candles or lanterns or whatever the6ly were, were pretty cool. Not too sure about the pyrotechnics at the end. But it certainly all added up to a spectacle. That was all for the pope?
Maybe the guy in the sky was the architect Gaudi, who died in the 1920s and is buried in the cathedral.
DeleteThe guy in the sky was Gaudí. They also had a quote - in Spanish- that translates “First love, then technique”. The event commemorated the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. I’m amazed you had never heard of the Sagrada Familia—it’s one of the most famous “churches” in the world.
DeleteThe final main tower was completed in January. This event was held for the Pope to bless it. Spanish people in general are far more given to drama and spectacle than some (like Polish Americans). Processions in the streets on religious holidays are very common all over the country and don’t raise any eyebrows, even though active participation in the sacraments by the people is pretty low these days, especially among those under age 50 or so. They are very secular but do love their traditions. Many reject the Catholic Church because of its firm support of Franco. Try watching a couple of Rick Steve's episodes on Spain for a glimpse of their culture.
DeleteAt the risk of being fussy, it's a basilica, not a cathedral. Apparently the design goes back to the late 19th century; it was the architect Antoni Gaudi's take on Gothic. I find it pleasing.
ReplyDeleteMaybe what was being celebrated was not just the pope's visit, but the completion (or near-completion) of the church - a 140 year or so undertaking.
The main structure is now finished but there are still features of the design that haven’t been finished. All of the work should be finished by 2034 if all goes according to plan. Compared to other great cathedrals in Europe this one was built in record time. Of course, having cranes available helps. ;)
DeleteI found the video of the basilica quite beautiful, and the music was beautiful too. I couldn't figure out what the people were carrying, I assume they were battery candles or lanterns? If I were in Barcelona I would certainly want to see the basilica.
ReplyDeleteHopefully Pope Leo enjoyed the experience.
It is said to be the tallest church in the world. I assume they did a better job with the engineering than the Beauvais cathedral, which was also the tallest church in the world at its time. Unfortunately its tower collapsed of its own weight in 1573, and it was never rebuilt. They were trying to one-up Amiens and Notre Dame of Paris, but it didn't work out.
Cathedrals and basilicas come in many different styles and it is interesting to see the directions some of them take. Our St. Cecilia cathedral in Omaha is said to be Italianate, but it looks Romanesque to me, solid strength rather than soaring heights. But you wouldn't want something as tall and with as much glass as Sagrada Familia in a city with as much wind and hail as Omaha