HOLY S***
Easily the most beautiful man-made thing I’ve ever seen.
So what was your favorite part of the trip?
By far the most asked question since I got back. And its’s a good one. My answer has actually changed over the last couple of weeks. Initially though, it was a quick and easy reply.
The churches.
The churches. Were. So. Overwhelming.
Overwhelming and unexpected.
I think that’s why they stuck out to me so much, having the trip so near in my rearview. Each time I stepped into one of these churches, from day one at Sacro Monte to the tiny towns in the valleys of Switzerland later in the week; they surprised me, took my breath away, and overwhelmed me with emotion. The scale and scope were astounding. The magnitude of vision; to think this big and then see it through is, well, crazy. The hard work and determination needed are almost incomprehensible, especially considered the eras which they were created in. Miracles, on full display. The talent couldn’t be of man alone. God had to have been here.
The initial shocker was the chapel at Sacro Monte, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. I saw it visit listed on the itinerary, but it seemed like just a post-hike suggestion, something to pass the time after our meet-and-greet. An afterthought on the list of the week’s activities.
After a short but steep hike and our first Italian lunch (more on those later) we we given a guided tour of sacred grounds. The area includes fourteen tomb-like buildings, showcasing several hundred year old sculptures and paintings depicting the life of Jesus, from birth to tomb.
The beauty was always slightly hidden away - they each had in common humble, unassuming exteriors.
Books that could not be judged by their covers.
Capturing a nun on Facetime at the Sacro Monte chapel is an all-timer for me.
The stone shingle roofs from the 16th century sit on castle walls overlooking the Italian village of Varese.
Shooting the chapels was a unique challenge. Each was entombed behind different types of ornate metal grates. That allowed for framing the scenes using the fencing as the foreground. Here are some of my favorites using that technique.
Then, after sipping some holy water out of a Gatorade Zero bottle from the Philadelphia airport (as God intended) I finally made my way into the church itself.
This is where I became overwhelmed with emotion. The other stuff was cool, but this!?
Holy s***.
I cried. I wept. I prayed.
I tried to live in the moment, to appreciate the time taken, the skill needed, the holiness that exuded from the results. It was literally breathtaking.
And it was only Day 1.
Everywhere you looked was the most detailed, spectacular, heavenly imagery. 50 feet into the sky. Gilded in gold, hundreds of years ago.
God is in the details.
The next one was found in Macunaga, Italy. It once again unassuming, humble exterior. Not a single clue as to the beauty that lied inside. I guess you just had to have faith to find it.
