Religious Institutions – Page 17

Bones and Burns

Over the past twenty-five years, I am not even sure how many times I have visited Rome. I never get tired of it. It seems that this ancient city continually presents something new to experience each time I set foot on its cobblestone streets.

Always arriving with a plan, I usually forego sleep in order to catch the many things to do here, especially in winter when museums and exhibits close earlier. This time, my Google search for offbeat things to do, had offered up the Museum of the Sanitary Arts and the Museum of the Holy Souls of Purgatory. The first museum was going to be closed on the day of my arrival, but the latter was open until 7 pm. After two of my co-workers expressed interest in doing some sightseeing with me, I decided to take them for a visit to one of my favorite destinations in addition to the Museum of the Holy Souls of Purgatory…The Capuchin Crypt.

The Capuchin Crypt is a small space comprising several tiny chapels located beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini (Our Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins), near the Piazza Barberini. It contains the skeletal remains of 3,700 bodies believed to be Capuchin friars buried by their order. The bones, later exhumed, were arranged in odd decorative designs and were displayed with the shriveled and decayed skeleton of their fellow friars. The bones have been fashioned into crosses, coats of arms, crowns, rosettes, stars and are set into the ceilings and walls. There are even chandeliers designed from the bones.

There are six total rooms of the crypt. The Crypt of the Resurrection features a picture of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, framed by various parts of the human skeleton. The Mass Chapel does not contain bones and is used to celebrate Mass. The chapel also contains the tomb of Papal Zouaves, who died defending the Papal States at the battle of Porta Pia. The Crypt of Three Skeletons contains three skeletons, the center enclosed in an oval which represents life coming to birth. The three remaining are the Crypt of the Skulls, Crypt of the Pelvises and the Crypt of the Leg Bones and Thigh Bones, the names describing the contents of each.

The Crypt was renovated recently along with the construction of the adjacent Capuchin museum which is now the entrance to the crypt. The museum contains many relics and artifacts that tell the Capuchin story. The exhibition also pays homage to the friars that have been canonized for sainthood.

Years ago, the hotel that we utilized for layovers was located very near to this oddity. Visiting many times, I also took my son there when we were in Rome for his 13th birthday. It is always an intriguing place to visit. Now, with the addition of the museum, it is even more so.

After, our visit to the Crypt, we ventured into the church above the crypt, Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuchini. The church was commissioned in 1626, by Pope Urban VIII whose brother was a Capuchin friar. The church was designed by Antonio Casoni and contains a small nave and several side chapels. The chapels are notable as one contains the body of St. Felix of Cantalice and another is the tomb of the Blessed Crispin of Viterbo.

While walking thru the church, we encountered the custodian, Marius Girard. A delightful and friendly man from Sri Lanka, he offered to take us into the rear of the church. Behind the sanctuary, we discovered artworks created by the friars and the side window which is used by the pope to observe mass.

Finally, we departed and headed through the Piazza Barberini down to Via Del Corso. Crossing the Tiber river, near Castel San Angelo, we found Chiesa del Sacro Cuore del Suffragio (Church of the Sacred Heart of the Suffrage). Appearing quite dark, we thought that the church may have been closed. Finding the door unlocked, however, we headed toward the front of the church, following the sound of a voice. Located within the sacristy, the entry is a door in the sixth pan of the nave on the right. There, we found a young Italian gentleman seated at a desk. Inquiring about the Purgatory Museum, he sat upright and placed a basket on his desk for donations. After we each placed 2 euro in the basket, he grabbed his keys and headed to a doorway behind us. Ushering us into the room, he handed us a laminated guide in English, describing the display. Once he disappeared, we glanced around the small room, and into the next, however, finding that the “museum” was this one small area.

Oh well, it wasn’t the Vatican, but we decided to see what this tiny museum was all about.

A miraculous occurrence happened in the Order of the Sacred Heart’s chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary on July 2, 1897. During a fire, a scorched image of a face was left behind on the wall. The face was believed to be a trapped soul. Victor Jouet, a collector and French missionary, was inspired to build the purgatorial museum due to this occurrence and began to search for testimonies about the souls of Purgatory.

According to Catholic belief, a soul is stranded in purgatory until it atones for its sins, but can hasten its ascent to heaven through the prayers of loved ones still on earth.

A glass case houses many relics, which contain scorched handprints and other burn marks. These imprints are believed to be the product of souls begging their earth-bound loved ones to pray harder. Among the items on display is the nightcap of a man who discovered his deceased wife’s hand prints on it asking him to pray for her. Another amazing item is a book belonging to a woman whose mother-in-law reportedly appeared to her and asked for two masses in her honor. After the wish was fulfilled, a hand print was found on the book as a message of thanksgiving.

A quick walk around the interior of the lovely church was in order after our museum visit. The museum, small, but thought provoking, was certainly worth a half hour of our time. One of those little known places in the Eternal City, which most visitors have never heard of, we can now say that we have been there.

If you are a frequent traveler to Rome, have already seen the famous sights and are looking for something more offbeat, take the time to visit both of these unique institutions. You won’t spend your time waiting in long lines and you will have something intriguing and just a bit wacky to tell your friends and family about after your return.

For more pictures, check out my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe and on Instagram, Snapping the Globe.

Capuchin Crypt and Museum

Via Veneto 27, Roma 00187
Hours: 9:00-19:00 (last admission 18:30), Closed December 25
Admission: 8,50€ Adults, 5,00€ Children under 18 and adults over 65
Audio guide: 6,00€ double, 4,00€ single, available in Italian and English
Tours available: 65,00€ Italian, 80,00€ English, Spanish and French
No pictures are allowed.

Museum of the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Lungotevere Prati, 12, Roma
Hours: 9:00-12:30 and 17:00-19:00
Admission: Free, donations accepted

A Canterbury Tale

“Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?”-King Henry II

Archbishop Thomas Beckett engaged in conflict with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the church. In 1170, four knights set off for Canterbury on the orders of the King and murdered Archbishop Thomas Beckett in his cathedral. The murder was extremely violent. Two years later, the archbishop was canonized by Pope Alexander III on February 21, 1173 after a series of miracles, depicted in the miracle windows of the Trinity Chapel, were attached to his martyrdom. Soon after, pilgrims by the thousands, as told in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, began to flock to the Cathedral to worship at Becket’s tomb, among them, Henry, clothed in sackcloth and barefoot.

Today, the Cathedral is one of the most visited in the country. Visitors come to experience the Cathedral which is set within its own walled Precincts. Surrounded by medieval buildings and ruins, there is much to experience. St. Martin’s Church, the building in which St. Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury and his followers first worshipped, is the oldest working church in England. Together with Canterbury Cathedral, and St. Augustine’s Abbey, where his monks lived and worshipped and where Kentish Kings and the first Archbishops were buried, they make up one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Located right in the middle of the city center, visitors can access the Cathedral through the Christ Church Gate.

The church and Cathedral have stood on the site for over 1,400 years and boasts some of the finest church architecture in the country. Built from stone imported from Normandy, it houses the 17^th century bell which is still rung every day to open and close the Cathedral. A large display of stained glass windows, some surviving from the 12^th and 13^th centuries can be seen in the Cathedral, especially in the Trinity Chapel, which was built specifically for the Shrine of St. Thomas.

Time should also be allotted to explore the massive crypt beneath the east end of the Cathedral. Built under Archbishop Anselm in the early 1100’s, it still contains extensive Romanesque murals and exquisitely carved columns and capitals. One of the things that stood out was the sculpture by Antony Gormley. Suspended over the site of Thomas Becket’s vestry place in the Eastern Crypt of the Cathedral, it immediately caught our attention upon entering. Speaking with one of the Cathedral’s guides, who noticed our interest, he informed us that the sculpture, entitled Transport, was created using antique nails taken from the roof from the Cathedral’s repaired south east transept roof. A notable fact…due to the magnetization of the nails, the sculpture always points north-south.

The oldest son of King Edward III, Edward, was a brave leader in the wars against France. Called the Black Prince by the French, as they feared his bravery, he asked to be buried in the Crypt, but it was decided that he was too important and his tomb was placed close to Thomas’ shrine. His tomb consists of a bronze effigy beneath a tester depicting the Holy Trinity. The only English monarch to be buried at Canterbury, lies opposite the Black Prince; King Henry IV and his Queen, Joan of Navarre.

Much time should be allowed to explore the Cathedral in full. An audio guide can be rented, in seven languages, from the kiosk in the Nave or a guided tour can be joined at various times of the day, where expert guides can not only inform you of the Cathedral’s history, but answer your questions. The main tour lasts 40 minutes with an optional section lasting another 20 minutes which covers the Great Cloister and Chapter House.

After exploration of the Cathedral is complete, time can be spent roaming the pedestrian friendly streets in the city of Canterbury and its many shops and restaurants.

Getting There

Car-Several car parks are located in the center of Canterbury and a park and ride system operating with buses running every 7- 8 minutes from designated areas on the outskirts of the city right into the city center. For more information, visit http://www.canterbury.co.uk
Train-Southeastern High Speed rail service from London St. Pancras to Canterbury West station. Journey time, under one hour. For information, visit http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk
Southeastern also runs regular train service from London Victoria and London Charing Cross to Canterbury East station and Canterbury West station. The Cathedral is a short walk into the city from either station. For information, visit http://www.nationalrail.co.uk
Bus-National Express offers regular bus service from London Victoria Coach Station. For timetables, visit http://nationalexpress.com
Canterbury Cathedral is also offered as part of many organized tours in the area

Hours of Operation

Summer-0900-1730
Winter- 0900-1700
The Crypt- 1000-1730 (Summer), 1000-1700 (Winter)
Sundays-1230-1430

Admission

Adults-£10.50
Concessions-£9.50
Children under 18 years to 5 years-£9.00
Children under 5-free
Family ticket (2 adults and 3 children)- £28.50
Family ticket (1 adult and 2 children)- £20.50

Guided tours

Weekdays, Monday-Friday, 1030 (except January), 1200, 1400 (1430 Summer)
Saturday-1030 (except January), 1200, 1300
Guide ticket, £5.00pp or £10.00 for family
Audio tour available-£4.00

See more pictures of Canterbury Cathedral on Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, Snapping the Globe.

He Hua Buddhist Temple

Smack dab in the middle of Amsterdam’s Chinatown is the Fo Guang Shan He Hua Buddhist temple.

Many times, I have walked past this temple, however, as I returned from Muiderslot castle, I noticed for the first time, that the temple was open.

He Hua Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Europe. Built in the traditional Chinese style, the entrance has a large central opening usually reserved for monks and nuns. There are two side entrances for laymen.

Once inside, the temple is an open-plan room with a central shrine to Avalokitesvara, a female deity know as Kwan Yin in the Chinese tradition. Visitors can purchase and offer incense or a piece of fruit at the shrine.

A small museum of Buddha images and other artifacts line the right side wall, while the walls are covered in plaques with reliefs of Kwan Yin and inscriptions naming the donors who funded the construction of the temple.

A level below, houses a Jade Buddha Shrine. Also within the complex, there is a meditation hall, a hall for honoring ancestors, a meeting room, classrooms, a library, a dining room and bedrooms.

If you, like me, love temples…take the time to stop and see He Hua Temple in Amsterdam. You can check the box off of seeing the largest Buddhist temple in Europe and then grab some dim sum for dinner!

He Hua Temple

http://ibps.nl/home-2/
Tue- Sat 12.00-17.00
Sun 10.00-17.00
Closed on Mondays and January 1

Check out more pictures of He Hua Temple on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.

Seeing Siem Reap

Our last day in Siem Reap was an open day. No tours were scheduled…not one thing on the agenda. A few ideas had been tossed around, but no one had unanimously agreed on any one thing.

After breakfast, my travel companions, decided to have their 2,052nd massage of the trip…ok, well, it wasn’t that many, but they had had a lot. Being more of a fan of seeing and photographing the city, I set off on my own, map in hand.
I headed out towards Pub Street and the river and first encountered Wat Preah Prom Rath. Wat Preah Prom Rath is over 500 years old and just along the river near the Old Market. With a wider than usual collection of icons and a beautiful sculpture of a barge, you can spend a couple of hours wandering the tranquil garden and visiting the temple with the sleeping buddha.

My next stop was the temple of Wat Damnak. I soon encountered a problem, however…I could never figure out the street to get to Wat Damnak because the map I had was not very detailed. After walking back and forth in front of the Arts Market four or five times, I gave up and headed to Wat Bo.
I wish I could say that I had more luck initially, in finding Wat Bo. After finding the monks quarters, I thought that I had stumbled upon the wrong thing and headed back toward the river. Refusing to give up, I walked back in the direction of Wat Bo on a different street and soon came upon its buddha-topped walls. Problem was, the entrance on this road was blocked. Tired, hot and thirsty, I was close to calling off this visit as well, however, I kept at it, determined to find an entrance. Finally, I came across an opening in the wall and skirted right in.

Wat Bo is the oldest known Buddhist monastery in Siem Reap at approximately 400 years old. On the grounds, there is a main pagoda, a school and Buddhist monk sleeping quarters. There are many stupas and beautiful murals in the main pagoda. Not a very large place, you should be able to see everything in about 30 minutes.

After exiting Wat Bo, I was greeted by a tuk tuk driver. Exhausted from the heat, I decided that I would hire him to take me to some other temples. A suggestion was made for Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei, however, I decided that it may be a bit far…deduction made from the not-very-detailed map…and asked him to take me to the Yeay Tep Shrine, thinking that maybe I could visit the shrine and then see the Royal Residence gardens. After a short tuk-tuk ride through the streets of Siem Reap, we arrived at Yeay Tep Shrine. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed as it was very small and not quite what I expected. I also realized that the day before, after our visit to Kompong Pluk, the adjacent gardens were where Vanessa had taken us to for some photographs and to see the oldest hotel in Siem Reap.

With my tail between my legs, I returned to the tuk tuk and made a deal with the driver to take me to Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei and then back to the hotel.
We were quickly on our way.

Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei is a Buddhist monastery located in the east end of town. Taking a very short time to get there, I was a bit surprised when we arrived, as it had such an abandoned feel….none of the color and life of Wat Prom Rath. There were some obviously very old ruins behind the temple, but I first wandered to the rear of the property.

As I walked along, I began hearing a voice…chanting…it was so beautiful, I began glancing around to see where it was coming from. Along the small stream, there was a small hut. I could not see anyone through the open window, but there was no doubt that this was the source of the sound. I stopped for a few minutes to take it in and enjoy the otherwise quiet around me.

After visiting the stupas at the rear of the property, I ventured back to the front of the property. My tuk tuk driver came over to meet me and explained that he had spoken with the head monk. This monk was happy that I had come to visit and agreed to open the main building for me.
The wooden structure contained beautiful murals along the roofline and many flags crisscrossing the ceiling. The monk explained that the building was entirely made of wood and was extremely old…though I did not get an exact age.
The monk then told my tuk tuk driver that he like that way I looked…he said that I looked like a Khmer woman…dark skin and dark eyes. I took this opportunity to ask my driver if the monk would be offended if I asked him to take a picture with me. I was not entirely sure that he would. However, he gladly agreed and it is another picture from my trip that I will always cherish.

Siem Reap is so widely known for tourists visiting Angkor Wat, and being a dream of mine for so long to visit, I am ever so grateful that I was able to at this time. I am, however, grateful that I took the time to see the city of Siem Reap and all that it has to offer.

Check out more pictures of Wat Prom Rath, Wat Bo, Yeay Tep Shrine and Wat Preah Ang Kau Sei on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.

What? Wat Pho!

After our wonderful visit to the Floating Market, we headed back into Bangkok, only this time, our journey was much shorter with no traffic.
We had our driver drop us off at one of my favorite temples, Wat Pho, home to the Reclining Buddha.
If you’ve ever been to Bangkok and seen the Reclining Buddha, then you know how impressive it is, due to its large scale and detail. It is 141 feet in length, covered in gold leaf and inlaid with mother of pearl. When you enter the temple, you work your way along the front side of the Buddha starting at the head and ending at the feet.

Rounding the foot side of the Buddha you can see the intricate mother of pearl inlay underneath the feet displaying 108 different auspicious lák·sà·nà (characteristics of a Buddha). This area was blocked off due to the restoration of the Buddha’s feet. Presently, instead of rounding the end of the Buddha, within the building, you exit the temple, walk across the outside and reenter, so that you may experience the Buddha from the rear perspective.
Inside the temple, which houses the Reclining Buddha, along its backside, there are 108 wish pots which line the wall. You can buy a bowl of coins for 20 baht (about 56 cents), which you drop into each pot, one at a time, making a wish as you go. Last time I was here, I was not sure what these pots were for so I did not participate. This time, however, I bought my bowl, dropped my coins and wished away!

Visiting the Reclining Buddha is not to be missed, however, the rest of the complex is equally as amazing.
The temple complex houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, and includes four chapels. The Phra Chinnatat and Phra Chinnachai Buddhas, in the west and south chapels are particularly beautiful. The galleries extending between the four chapels feature no less than 394 gilded Buddha images. Next to the Reclining Buddha, this is one of the things I love about Wat Pho…the walls lined with Buddhas.

The remains of Rama I are interred in the base of the presiding Buddha image in the main chapel.
The entire complex is worth the walk as there are many buildings and picture opportunities.

Wat Pho doesn’t ever seem to be as crowded as some of the other sites, such as the Grand Palace, which is nearby. Entry is 100 baht (almost $3.00). Wat Pho also has good English speaking guides who will provide interesting information for around 200 – 400 baht, depending on how many people there are in your group and how good your negotiating skills are.
After leaving Wat Pho, we walked to the ferry pier and looked across the Chao Phraya river to the Temple of the Dawn, Wat Arun, which is presently closed due to construction.
If you are in need of souvenirs, I have found that the shops here have great prices in relation to other places in the city. Don’t pay any attention to the price tags, negotiate…but I have found that it doesn’t take much negotiating to get a fabulous price!

See more pictures on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe!