Since I was ten or so I have seen about a 100 or so books of sculptures and wall paintings. Since the Christ has been around for 2000 years, his story and Bible has a huge influence on these paintings and art works. Saints, angels, prophets, holy figures- or their references were there in every painting, particularly the tale surrounding his birth and death.
Have seen pictures of Gothic churches, medieval, Russian, Orthodox, Catholic etc.
Somehow it never occurred to me that the Church is an unhappy place, where the tale of Christ's death is repeated again and again...Through paintings and sculpture his death is mourned constantly. Most of us have seen that picture of him at cross. If that was a real man, he would have been dieing and bleeding for 2000 year!
In this Cathedral- when u walk in there is a series of paintings on both walls facing each other and they narrate his tale with captions underneath every step he took before crucification, the woman he talks to and the man who helps him carry the cross, even the woman who mourns his death and by the time u reach the huge statue where Christ is depicted as a Prophet- you don't see him as a an ordinary saint but the one who was crucified by the evil, a dyeing Prophet covered in blood since centuries.
The candles and chandeliers gave dim light, romance in the air as if someone was seeking pleasure out of the grief of crucification. The pleasure probably eased the pain of having a saint crucified- a saint one happens to love and adore. The Son who is dying and they are waiting for him to return clear the world of evil deeds, after wiping his own blood.
