Reveling in Wonder: Gothic Cathedrals

Confession Time- I really hate philosophy. As much as I appreciate the aesthetic of intellectually pouring over Arisotle, engaging in philosophical debates, and thinking in concise, logical ways, I can’t say that the subject has ever really captured me. I have immense respect for people who are Philosophy majors, but I can safely say that it is not my calling. So last semester, when I realized that I still needed to take my second philosophy course, I was full of dread when I signed up for “Philosophy of Art and Aesthetic I.” But I like art, right? It couldn’t be THAT bad. I can’t say that I walked away from the course converted to a philo-phile or even that I enjoyed the class, but I did find one of the lectures so fascinating that I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind.

We spent one week studying the philosophy behind French Gothic cathedrals. Seeing as how I am a bit of a philosophical delinquent, I will attempt to enlighten you:   

The philosophy behind Gothic cathedrals stems from the “Theory of Emmination,” which is the thought that the divine is rooted in everything. Because we can look for symbols of God’s creative act, we can therefore see God’s artwork. Architecture became one of the highest forms of emmination and cathedrals were constructed  based on light. Because light is immaterial, it was thought of as a mediator between souls and the physical, and it became the prominent symbol of God’s light. Cathedrals then become like gems, radiating God’s love out, a giant symbol of God’s creative act. Because of this, the Gothic cathedrals become a place for experimentation in Middle Ages architecture, specifically allowing for architects to create churches that tell narratives- that of moving from the darkness of the human world to the light of the heavenly.

Since I’ve been in France, I’ve had the opportunity to explore 2 different Gothic cathedrals: Notre Dame de Reims and Notre Dame de Paris

The cathedral in Reims, Notre Dame de Reims, is one of the most famous in all of France. Built in 1211, the cathedral was the place used for the crowning of the kings of France.  What I think makes this cathedral even more beautiful is the fact that it had caught fire many times and was even mostly destroyed during World War I. Yet, each time, people remained dedicated to the astounding work of architecture that is Notre Dame de Reims, including a massive donation from the Rockefellers after World War I, which restored the beautiful building to it’s former glory.

Just as the Reims cathedral escaped destruction time after time, Notre Dame de Paris carries the same stories. The first story takes place after the French Revolution when most of the religious buildings in Paris were destroyed, Notre Dame mostly destroyed, with the stain glass replaced with plain glass windows, was in risk of being demolished. Victor Hugo, who was a huge advocate of Gothic architecture, penned Notre Dame de Paris, which captured the imaginations of the people of Paris and saved the building. Later, during World War II, the cathedral once again found itself at risk of destruction. Legend says that during Hitler’s occupation of Paris, he had ordered the Governor of Paris, Dietrich von Choltitz, to burn the city. Explosives had been wired to blow up all of Paris’s most famous landmarks, including the cathedral. However, Choltitz, for some reason, could not let it burn. When Hitler called and asked him, “Is Paris burning?” he lied and said yes, saving the beautiful city and in turn, Notre Dame de Paris.

So what is it about Gothic cathedrals that continues to inspire and fascinate us, even as years go by? Why, despite many attempts to destroy these buildings, do we persist on finding a way to keep them standing? What about these buildings never stops garnering our devotion and sparking our imagination? The answer of course is personal to everyone, but here is mine-

As Catholics today, we believe  God wants to have a relationship with us, to know us and love us in a truly personal way. My prayer experiences are usually so rooted to my own life and my own journey, that sometimes we loose track of a God who is anything but this intimate companion. Yet in these Gothic cathedrals we have a chance to experience a God beyond that. Here we get to revel in the wonderful and awesome of our God, a God that works in big and great ways.