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| Pala d'Oro - Basilica of San Marco, Venice |
(Venice, Italy) The Basilica of San Marco is one of the most stunning places of worship in the world; to me, it is
the most beautiful and awe-inspiring. The gold mosaics that enhance the enormous interior sparkle with celestial light. The image of Jesus Christ in the center is one of kindness, compassion and wisdom. Many stories are emblazoned across the walls and ceilings of the Basilica; you can tumble into another world just gazing at the images. Angels in the alcoves seem almost real; the air is wispy with the scent and smoke of incense.
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Cat Bauer kneeling in front of the Pala d'Oro
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On the high holy days, the majestic golden panel, the Pala d'Oro, is turned toward the congregation. I have had the great honor and privilege to kneel directly in front of the Pala d'Oro, and I can tell you what it feels like... it feels as if I am in front of one of the monoliths in
2001: A Space Odyssey, only more divine because it is gold and studded with precious gems... As if it was created with high intelligence and omniscience... I come away pulsing with star dust.
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Pala d'Oro (detail)
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The Pala d'Oro feels as if it was designed according to a sacred plan. As I wrote for
Gems of Venice, "According to Mons. Antonio Niero, author of
La Pala d'Oro e il Tesoro di San Marco, 'the
use and arrangement of the gems and precious stones suggest that the
13th century restorers followed the 21st chapter of the Book of
Revelations, which speaks of 12 precious stones when describing the new
Jerusalem; some of the stones used in the
pala are identical to those described in that chapter.'"
Last year I wrote about the magical feeling of Christmas in Venice, which you can read here:
For two thousand years Christians have been celebrating the birth of a Jew from Galilee whose profound, simple message rocked humanity, which comes down to us in the words of Mark, who wrote the first Gospel, and is the patron saint of Venice: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Best wishes to all for the New Year.
Ciao from Venezia,
Cat
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog
The Basilica of San Marco is one of the most stunning places of worship in the world; to me, it is the most beautiful and awe-inspiring. The gold mosaics that enhance the enormous interior sparkle with celestial light. The image of Jesus Christ in the center is one of kindness, compassion and wisdom.
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