We decided to take advantage of Tim's time off courtesy of POTUS and enjoy the Christmas decorations at Washington's National Cathedral. We only stuck with the tour guide for 10 minutes before we realized that the little ones were starting to get bored so we wandered off to see the high altar and the multitude of chapels. I had been on several field trips as a child to this church and even served once as an acolyte during my teen years. The guide,a middle age woman wearing purple "vestments" played up the ecumenical aspect of this Episcopal Cathedral. She mentioned that Muslims, Buddhists, and leaders from other religions have used the altar for their own worship. We pointed out to the children (after they asked) that since it is a Protestant building there is no Tabernacle and Jesus is not present.
This is the main altar which contains 100 carved figures. Tim's has told me several times about his sweet old landlady when he was in living in DC 20 years ago. Her husband had been an Italian stone carver who spent his entire adult life working on the National Cathedral. The workmanship we saw was equal in beauty to what we saw during our tours of churches in Italy.
This is the Space Window with a chunk of real moon rock from the Apollo 11 mission (it looks like an eye) presented by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. The other stained glass windows in the main sanctuary were very "artistic" which defeated one of the original purposes of these colorful pictures: to educate those gazing on them of the truths in the Bible. The very large Rose Window above the doors is supposed to represent the 7 days of Creation, but even the tour guide could not differentiate the days because the design was so modern.
This plaque is for Helen Keller and her companion Anne Sullivan who are both interred in the wall behind the Joseph of Arimathea chapel. Also downstairs was a collection of unique nativity scenes, most of which were very primitive, though I have to admit it would take a lot to impress me after seeing the exquisite and elaborate creches in Naples. The children had a much better time pretending they were jousting on the front lawn before we headed home for lunch and a much needed rest.
2 comments:
Actually, as the National Cathedral is an Episcopal (Anglican) church there is a tabernacle and it is viewed by Episcopalians/Anglicans as having Jesus present in the church.
From Wikipedia...
"Within Anglicanism, Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, a tabernacle is a box-like receptacle for the exclusive reservation of the Blessed Sacrament of consecrated bread and wine which the faithful believe to be the True Body and Blood of Jesus Christ after the manner of a sacrament. In it, it is believed He is truly present, but not materially or locally (St. Thomas Aquinas)."
Actually, according to the Book of Common Prayer,
"Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped."
Also we all are aware of Wikipedia's many errors, but according to the Anglicans themselves they do not believe in transubstantiation so the idea of Jesus being present in the Tabernacle is comforting to some of that religion, but is not an authentic belief of that religion.
One of the most important reasons I converted to Catholicism from Anglicanism was this teaching as well as the Roman Catholic Church's unwavering devotion to following God's law, rather than succuming to the evil of the world. Unfortunately, the Anglicans lead the way in falling prey to the world's lure many decades ago and continue to do so. I am indebted to several Anglican priests and leaders who taught me the basic tenants of Christianity, but the structure and the administration of this sect is rotten at the core.
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