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Silence and Belief |
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written
by julia625 / 10.24.2005 |
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| Silence and Belief |
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Assignment |
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Santi Quattro Coronati is clearly a place of worship. When I entered the cloister the first thing I thought about was the movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame. There is this one scene in the movie when a gypsy woman is being chased by the police and seeks shelter in the church calling out “sanctuary” as she enters. In theory this is supposed to offer her with total protection from the law as long as she remains inside the walls of the church. That concept is exactly how I felt when I entered the cloister of Santi Quattro Coronati. As soon as I entered I felt my worries slowly dissipate. All that mattered was not spoiling the beautiful gift I had been given.
The actual structure of the cloister is very inspiring. It’s simple enough to still be considered beautiful, but not ornate enough to be tacky. The architecture is designed to be subtle enough that the viewer has nothing to focus their attention on. When I left I didn’t remember any particular image, just a feeling. I think that is the purpose of the space; to invoke worship and prayer.
The Benedictine Monastery in Subiaco is very similar, in function, to the cloister of Santi Quattro Coronati. The Monastery is a large place of worship carved out of a mountain at the top of a beautiful hill. It currently houses three monks dedicated to the service of God. There are several different rooms winding deeper into the heart of the structure; the downstairs cave housing a beautiful marble state of St. Benedict. Covering the most of the walls and ceiling are frescoes detailing the story of the foundation of the church and St. Benedict’s life.
Both the Monastery and cloister are simple places of worship with a very clear intention. The main difference between the two buildings is the intention of the space. Santi Quattro Coronati is a general place of worship. Even those with no religious affiliation can come to this place and feel spiritual. The Monastery, although beautiful, is clearly a religious space. The entire interior is dedicated to worshiping God. Although anyone can appreciate the Monastery, it seemed as though not everyone can truly understand it.
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