Ted Wallace
Due: 11/29/11
World Religion
Christianity Cathedral Visit
On November 13, 2011 I attended the Christian Cathedral of the Madeleine that was
scheduled with the class. The temple was very easy to spatially navigate, as there was only one
direction you could go. Upon entering the front door there was a man greeting guests and
handing out programs for the service with information on upcoming events and hymns. This is
really the perfect example of Christianity. Once you open the door, you’ll be welcomed, guided
and loved throughout your earthly suffering.
When walking into the cathedral, being my first time, I couldn’t help but be amazed. Not
only by the architecture, but also the paintings on both the walls as well as glass. When entering
the worship area you first see the fountain with the Holy Water, with rows upon rows of pews
leading up to and around the altar at the front. Near this is a stand where speakers would recite a
sermon or verse that was chosen. It was later, when I got home that I found out this is the pulpit.
While looking up, you see the gigantic organ over your head and then you really see the artistic
nature of the entire building.
The walls and glass both were very artistic and the designs on them all had the same
theme. I noticed, the lower the painting was on the walls, the less ‘divine’ it actually was. The
higher on the wall, the more ‘divine’ it would get. There were angels and less or no suffering
towards the top. However near the bottom there was always a suffering Jesus. At the top of the
ceiling where the walls come together, there was a star. All this combined definitely makes this
church visit the most symbolically emphasized places of worship we’ve attended for class.
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When the precession finally started, instantly I could tell that the service was going to be
very organized and very little, if any improvisation would happen during the mass. Every
participant in the precession looked as if they had a job to do. They were there to do it, nothing
more and nothing less. I didn’t get a very happy or joyful vibe from this and maybe they’re not
looking to pass one. At every other religion I’ve visited, even during the service, there would be
smiles, greetings and chatter at all times during the service. Here it was very serious and strict
from the beginning.
During the service, there was lots of individual prayer, kneeling, standing up and being
hymns sung. The hymns varied in both Latin and English. I, personally, was clueless and could
not follow any of them, as I had no idea which hymn was being sung at any one point. The
precession participants and choir sat behind the iconostasis. Members of this group had specific
roles that came in to play throughout the mass. Specifically, a young woman carried the Thurible
with incense. Another man came out and led the worshipers during hymns. The sermon that was
chosen seemed very general and it could apply to everyone in the congregation. The speaker
chose to talk about his visit to the Vatican and his experiences there applying them to every day
life and goals.
Towards the end, they began preparing the sacrament of bread and water for the
congregation. An important attribute I noticed during this process was the transitions between
one aspect of the mass to the other. It was all very fluid and everything happened without request
or notification to anyone, participants and onlookers alike. During the communion, the clergy
and participants ate theirs first, then served to the line of worshipers.
Overall, my visit to the Cathedral of the Madeline was very pleasant. I felt welcomed
upon entering and during the service at no point did I feel out of place or frowned upon for being
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there, even though I was not participating in any prayer/kneeling or singing. The feeling of the
entire service was very controlling and the itinerary for the entire service was very well planned
out and executed. As I stated earlier, this specific branch of Christianity is very welcoming,
however guidance begins the second you walk through the front door.
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