At the end of San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, New Mexico is a towering cathedral and a focal point of the downtown area. The Saint Francis Cathedral Basilica is the home to one of the oldest faith communities in the United States, being over 400 years old.
In the outer courtyard there is a larger statue of Saint Frances of Assisi, along with other saints and meaningful people to the church. One of the things that Protestants typically do not support are the icons and statues—for fear they may become idols to be worshiped. But, we need to rethink this concept. True they should never be worshipped, rather the statues and icons should be used to enhance our understanding of our Christian history and heritage—not to mention our art.
This argument is only magnified for me when you walk inside the beautiful cathedral.
The Saint Francis Cathedral Basilica wonderfully portrays the beauty and majesty that art can provide. Every time I visit a cathedral , mission, or chapel I am convinced that one things Catholics get right and Protestants get so horribly wrong is our concept of art as and in worship.
Inside the North Transept of the Cathedral was probably the place I spent the most time trying—and I would say failing—to photograph properly. I never felt like I could get the light just right. The entire transept was dark, eliminated by the small candles at the front, with a spot light on the statue of Mary. The South Transept was also beautiful with a stained glass window. However, there were many worshippers that were lined up along the wall, and I didn’t feel comfortable disrupting them for by taking a picture of them nor the window over their head.
These transepts, though, remind me how important it is to provide a place for worshipers to go to in order to find a place of refuge and faith. I know the protestant answer—and even the Baptist answer—is to find that in scripture; but while I’ve got all of that—there is something different and even rejuvenating to enter into a place of worship to pray.
My favorite memory of my trip to the Saint Francis Cathedral Basilica in Santa Fe, was the encouragement above the center aisle of the nave of the cathedral. The sign reads:
“Love One Another Constantly”.
In this age of dangerous protests and division, this is a great reminder to us all to love one another (John 15:12). And a reminder that the example to love is found in Christ—who loved us so much that he died to buy our pardon.