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Silence and Belief |
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written
by kayanna / 10.24.2005 |
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| Silence and Belief |
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Assignment |
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The cloister of Santi Quattro Coronati is closed off not only from the rest of the grounds, but also from the noise and chaos outside in Rome. Upon entering, there is a quietness, an inwardness, and any feeling of scheduledness dissipates. Stillness is the main image. When I went into this cloister, even the fountain was still. Few people come in, few people go out. Even a chatting nun in the corner cannot seem to change the stillness. The chatter pervades only the air nearby, but the other corner of the cloister seems wholly unaffected. The columns are quiet, still, and solemn as stone. They are cool as well, even on a hot day above.
In the mountains outside of Rome, amidst misty forest and several switchbacks from the nearest town lies the first Benedictine monastery. There are only 3 monks left, and they do not talk much, unless requested to explain quietly the 12th century frescoes or St. Benedict's beginnings of sainthood - two years in a cave. That cave and its mountainside have been converted into a monastery where solitude and again, stillness have settled over the centuries, with mists rolling over them and a wall of trees across the ravine filling the window frames. Around St. Benedict's cave, modest half-columns have been carved and frescoes painted, but few people come in, and few go out. Those that do are largely quiet, coming to rub the now-silver foot of the statue of St. Benedict. The smell of damp stone combines with white lilies, and the air is cool.
In both of these places, stillness of the air, of noise, and of time encourages a stillness of the mind. They encourage mental clarity, and with mental clarity comes a spiritual experience - the world seems stiller, less frightening, and more continuous. More than the gargantuan displays of wealth that are represented by most churches in Rome, these places are houses of true spirituality - whatever divine presence there might be in this world, it can be felt only by a personal connection with the stillness of time.
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