Blog 6

Since a young age, one of my favorite things to do was go down into the city of Chicago and go to mass at my cousin’s church, St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church. Whether it was the breathtaking design, the vibrant colors, or the Dunkin Doughnuts we would usually get afterwards, I always enjoyed going to mass at this parish. As the class started to shift it’s way towards architecture my mind was always trying to point out similarities between our readings and St. Josaphat’s Church, so I was delighted to see that this blog was about dissecting a church of our choice.
Upon first glance, my first observation was that St. Josaphat’s is a Sacramental Church with some baroque characteristics. When you first step through the massive doors at the entrance, you are greeted by vibrant colors, high ceilings, and teal columns that line the entire building. The architects who designed this church used spatial dynamics to their advantage and made strategic decisions that allow for a grand experience, even though they were working with a small plot of land in the middle of a congested city. An example of this can be seen in the layout of the church, which is fairly linear. Once in the building, one is directly in line with the altar which creates the feeling of almost being greeted by the Lord at the door. One of my favorite nuances about the church is that there is a small opening in the doors which can allow anyone who walks by to feast their eyes on the beautiful altar. The pews are evenly distributed on each side and marble columns line the way until the altar, helping guide those who enter the church and are trying to comprehend all that they are surrounded by. One does not only sit in contemplation, but is also invited to saunter the long aisle to stain glasses, the sculptures, and to the paintings. Similarly to when Kieckhefer points out “Longitudinal space can indeed be distancing, but there is perhaps no better space for inviting movement, for suggesting a sense of passage or of kinetic dynamism,” the St. Josaphat’s Church encourages the movement of both the eyes and the body. I have spoken of the church in a two dimensional manner, but now I want to make it three dimensional and talk about the height of the building. The Church is fairly tall relatively speaking, and has large arches spanning from one side to the other. The ceiling has a striking pattern that is made up of both light and dark colors, helping to add to the dramatic atmosphere. The large size and feeling of being so far from the ceiling makes one feel small as they soak in the dimensions. By feeling small, one feels that they are in a place that is not to scale to humans like most things are in today’s world, but rather in a place that is to scale of something much bigger, God. Obviously one can find much bigger churches like St. Peter’s Basilica and Milan Cathedral, but the size of St. Josaphat’s church still invites deep contemplation about divinity and spirituality while being in awe of the size.
Shifting away from the size of the Church, I want to delve deeper into the decorations and ornaments one can find inside the Church’s walls. Something that stands out between St. Josaphat’s and my local parish is that St. Joesphat’s has much more to it than some pews and brown walls. In his writing, Dennis McNamara discusses how both decorations and ornaments play a pivotal role in the functionality of a church. Things such as the emerald green marble material of the columns and the octagonal design of the base enrich the design of the building and “clarifies the structural forces at work in architecture in Poetic fashion.” Along with this, ornaments such as the gold trim, stained glass windows, or murals serve to enhance the building and create a sense of beauty. While an outsider may see such things as over the top and or unnecessary, McNamara states that “Architectural exuberance indicates the festive nature of a place without losing structural clarity.”
Probably my absolute favorite part of St. Josaphat’s Church is sitting in our regular spot and staring deeply at all of the pieces of stained glass. From where we usually sit, the bright Sunday morning sun rips through the glass and makes its presence known on our skin. While before I used to just admire how aesthetically pleasing the windows are, I look forward to sitting arm and arm with my cousins and letting the works of art speak to me. Perhaps I can treat the rays of light as beams from God’s glow, and try to absorb all that he is trying to say to me. Taking what I’ve learned from this class, I can most definitely reflect more on what is going on in the image, where things are located, and how people are depicted to help me consider the themes and deeper meanings that the artist is trying to portray. I especially look forward to sharing this information with my eight year old cousin who shares the same love for stained glass windows as me. Hopefully I can articulate these points in a manner which a child her age can comprehend so she too can also contemplate what the windows are saying.
All in all, St. Josaphat’s Church is a building that utilizes many of the techniques and features that we have discussed in class. So many things come together in that small space to transport one’s self from busy Chicago to a different dimension where one is with God. Thanks to the Polish immigrants who decided to build the place in 1884, St. Josaphat’s Church is a place that embodies true beauty and allows for deep spiritual connection with Lord.