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Feb 6, 2024 16 tweets 6 min read Read on X
Cathedrals aren't just beautiful. They're encoded with symbolism.

The layout, statues and stained-glass windows all represent something higher... (thread) 🧵 Image
The plan is usually cruciform in shape and oriented eastward. Worshippers face the rising sun, a daily reminder of Christ’s resurrection.

The north and south transepts or “arms” represent Christ’s right and left hands on the cross. Image
The entrance at the West end corresponds with Christ's feet - you enter at the foot of the cross and proceed upward to the altar. Image
Let’s start at the foot and work our way up.

The Western entrance is the porta coeli, or “Heaven’s Gate.” It consists of three arches representing a triune God. Underneath are double doors signifying Christ’s dual nature.Image
Through the porta coeli is the narthex. Traditionally, catechumens and penitents worshipped here instead of the nave.

In the early Church, they were prohibited from entering the nave until they had been properly catechized or reconciled.Image
Next, the baptismal font greets you in the nave, symbolizing that communion with the Church is first achieved through the waters of baptism. Image
The church's main body is the nave, deriving its name from the Latin navis (“ship”). As Noah’s Arc saved mankind from the flood, so the Church is the “arc of salvation” for the world.

It’s no coincidence that many cathedrals have rib vaulted ceilings resembling the hulls of ships...Image
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At the nave’s sides are confessionals, reminding Christians that the path to salvation requires contrition for one’s sins. Image
Moving to the top of the cross, a casket of a saint sometimes rests in front of the altar, reminding us that death is a necessary step in reaching salvation. Most often, a saint’s relics are placed within the altar itself. Image
At the back of the cathedral are the altar and tabernacle. The altar is where the sacrifice of the mass occurs, when bread and wine is transformed into the body and blood of Christ, a replication of the Last Supper and Christ’s death on Calvary. Image
The tabernacle is directly behind the altar, and houses the body of Christ, or “Word of God,” just like the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. Image
Often at the apse (the top of the cruciform), a circlet of radiating chapels represents the crown of thorns that was placed on Christ’s head before the crucifixion. Image
The layout is not the cathedral's only symbolic aspect. Its stained-glass windows are a veil between the outside, secular world and the purity of the church interior - like the inner sanctuary of Solomon’s temple in the Old Testament. Image
Statues, mosaics, and paintings help to illustrate important biblical stories or saint’s lives. These images often cover the walls, windows, and ceiling – no space is left bare. Image
No matter where you look, your gaze never strays from sacred images - guiding your mind at all times toward the divine. Image
Beautiful analysis by @thinkingwest - you NEED to follow this account. Image

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More from @the_culturist_

Sep 5
The story of Saint George isn't just about a brave knight slaying a dragon and saving a damsel.

St. George matters because he holds the answer to the most important of all questions:

What actually is evil, and how do you destroy it? 🧵 Image
To understand the nature of evil, first note that the dragon is a perversion of the natural world.

Its origin is in nature, like the snake or lizard, and that makes it compelling. It's close enough to something natural (something good) that we tolerate it. Image
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Jul 11
The French Revolution was way more sinister than you think.

In a frenzy to purge all aspects of Christian life, they even changed the calendar and UNITS OF TIME.

10-hour days, 100-minute hours, 100-second minutes.

Then they made a new religion — the Cult of Reason… 🧵 Image
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Jun 17
How did Christianity go from persecuted minority to official religion of the world's greatest empire?

Well, two pagan rivals went to war over Rome — and one saw something strange on the eve of battle.

A sign appeared in the sky, and altered history forever… (thread) 🧵 Image
For the early believers, being Christian in the Roman Empire was a dangerous business.

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May 22
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Well, there's a hidden story that most don't know about.

And it's the key to understanding the entirety of The Lord of the Rings… (thread) 🧵Image
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A reflection of Gondor's fortunes, before Aragorn's ascension as king...Image
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Someone had to tend the sacred fire each day — if it died, so too the city would die.Image
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May 8
Right now, cardinals are selecting a new Pope in this room, beneath Michelangelo's epic ceiling.

But what did he actually paint up there, and what does it mean?

Well, it's something quite strange — because these are no ordinary Bible scenes… (thread) 🧵 Image
Michelangelo did not want to paint the Sistine ceiling. He never considered himself a painter.

Still, in 1508, the Pope pressured him into doing so, and Michelangelo put his sculpting on pause... Image
Image
What he painted is unlike anything seen before or since, but on the surface it isn't obvious why.

There are 9 scenes from Genesis: Earth's Creation, Man's Creation, the Fall of Man, and the Great Flood. Image
Read 18 tweets

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