Laon Cathedral, France (part 2)

There are several things I enjoy when visiting cathedrals. First, I enjoy observing how the cathedral comes into view as I approach, both as a modern pilgrim and as a tourist. What catches my attention, how does the monumental edifice fit into its surroundings (which have changed considerably over the centuries). Then I slowly amble along one side of the building, taking in its incredible size and the care with which it has been constructed. As I enter the cathedral, I like to be aware of changes in light, the new smells, new sounds as quiet visitors or worshipers walk in the resonant nave. And I like to stop to think, admire, pray and give thanks that such a wonderful place exists and that people still work to keep the cathedral life vibrant and the building sound.

Sometimes it is nice to include an unknown person in a photograph, but generally I find a shot I want to take, determine the lighting, and then wait (and wait and wait) until nobody is in view. Sometimes this can take ten minutes, during which the light invariably changes, shifting as the sun moves. I also like to look through arches, doorways, through the frames the cathedral offers us century after century, but we usually rush by, unheeding. There are also the nooks and crannies, the less-noticed details which, as in any building, tell you something about the care with which things have been made. [You can also visit my earlier posting, Laon Cathedral, France (part 1).]

Avignon, Papal Palace in Provence (part 2)

For about 100 years, the city of Avignon was transformed by the unexpected presence of the papacy. During the initial 70 years of that sojourn, the resident pope was recognized as the supreme pontiff throughout Christendom, but after the schism, Europe was confused by the conflicting claims issued by two popes, the one residing in Rome and the other remaining in Avignon.

The present palace is but a shadow of its former glories, for it was once the jewel of the church, occasionally attempting to vie with kings and dukes for attention and legitimacy. I nevertheless enjoyed wandering the echoing stone halls, chambers and cloister walkways, imagining what it might have been like to be a monk--or even a menial servant--surrounded by the glories of the 14th-century world. Diplomats, couriers, guards (one statue is barely visible in the top of a tower), abbots, and enterprising rascals looking for political advantage all strode through these halls. I am particularly interested in the various stone window seats. These seem ideal places to sit while waiting to be presented to some official, or a good location to read (while observing what is happening and possibly straining to overhear whispered conversations). Without glass, those stone seats could admit refreshing breezes in the heat of summer or fail to keep out the cold fierce mistrals for which Provence is well known.

Although the stone work is both impressive and reassuring, seeing a mason repairing an old structure reminds me that once a building is constructed, it immediately calls for corrections and repairs.

Below the papal palace, which is essentially a fortified castle, spreads the river and its countryside. The palace always required non-religious support staff, so the town thrived. Today its main industry seems to be tourism, with cafes everywhere, alluring stores and markets. [All of my Avignon pictures were taken with the Canon G9. For other photographs on the Avignon palace, click on Avignon, part 1).

Library, Centre Mennonite de Paris (Mennonite Center in Paris)

The main reading and conference room:

Neal presenting a public talk at a conference on slavery:

Janie teaching one of her English classes:

The periodical room:

The atrium leading into the Library:

Yves and Janice discussing cataloguing options:

Neal and Janice pondering how to classify new acquisitions:

Although there are perhaps no more than about 2,500 Mennonites in France in some 32 congregations, they, along with other European Mennonites and the Mennonite Board of Missions (United States and Canada), established a Student Centre in St Maurice just outside Paris in the 1976. The program evolved and in the late 1980's the Centre mennonite de Paris was born. This Centre houses an excellent library in three rooms on the main floor. There is a periodical room with comfortable reading chairs for visiting scholars, and a main reading room which houses most of the books. This room also has a large central table which enables people to spread out while working and accommodates discussion groups. The library office has substantial book shelves and a desktop computer which gives access to the library's online catalogue (about 2,800 books are listed). Wireless access is available to visitors interested in working on subjects such as Christian faith, the community of faith, peace and nonviolence, reconciliation, the church and peace, the radical reformation, inter-denominational dialogues, Anabaptist Studies, Mennonites in France, racism, etc. (for another list of subjects, see: Patchwork.)

Neal and Janie Blough work together as the directors of the Mennonite Centre in Paris. Neal received his doctorate from the University of Strasbourg, where he specialized on Pilgram Marpeck, an early Anabaptist thinker and writer who died in 1556. Neal lectures on church history at the Faculté Libre de Théologie Evangélique, Vaux sur Seine and is sought as a speaker at public events and occasionally also by the French media when it is interested in learning about evangelicals' thinking on societal and political concerns. In addition to her assignments at the Centre, Janie Blough (once described as "the soul" of the Centre) is undertaking doctoral studies at the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Florida. She has also served the local community by offering English classes which can engage adults in topics of interest to the Centre.

Neal has been overseeing the library for the past twenty years. Under his guidance, the Mennonite Centre and its library have been instrumental in issuing or in assisting publications on Anabaptist history and theology of interest to Mennonite evangelical readers. Yves Garet, a retired theology teacher and chaplain, is now helping to catalogue the holdings, and Janice Kreider (retired Canadian librarian) also assisted for one month this past spring. She started cataloguing the library's holdings during the 1988-89 academic year. Plans are afoot to integrate the Centre's catalogue with those of seven other institutions with collections of interest to Protestant theologians and scholars in France. The French national library has recently expressed interest in incorporating these catalogues into the Catalogue collectif de France which would make the Centre's Library known to many more scholars interested in aspects of Mennonite thinking and writing.

Anyone interested in using the Mennonite Centre's library in Paris should visit its website and make an appointment.

Basilica of St. Denis, Paris (part 2)

In mid May I posted a number of pictures taken at the Basilica of St Denis, Paris (click on St Denis). These additional pictures were taken inside the basilica on a sunny day. One quickly learns there are challenges when attempting to expose correctly for both the darker vaulted ceilings and the brilliant stained glass windows.

The basilica is well known for its architecture and as the burial site for many of France's royalty. For example, the two effigies of Louis XVI and his Austrian wife, Marie Antoinette (sporting a breast well-polished by thousands of curious hands), are nicely silhouetted as one stands facing them. Although I did not want to intrude on the class of students drawing pictures of other effigies throughout the basilica, I was intrigued with reflecting on how some of those once powerful personalities would have reacted to descendants of peasants laughing while drawing their pictures.

Some historians have suggested that the earliest ribbed vaults are those found in the ceiling of the ambulatory which takes us around the apse. The success of these ribbed vaults immediately encouraged other anonymous architects to incorporate them into their expressions of Gothic architecture as it rapidly emerged in France, particularly within a 150km radius of the capital city. As you walk through the basilica, you can see how the vault developed.

Rossillon, Provence, France (part 2)

Several months ago I posted a set of pictures from our afternoon in Rossillon, that beautiful hill village in Provence (click on Rossillon to find those pictures and text). There have been so many visitors to this site that I decided to post some additional photographs taken on that same overcast day.

I was intrigued by the restaurant patio overlooking the valley, by the appearance of ocre-coloured stone everywhere (for which this area is famous) and by sprigs of lavender hanging on a church wall. A set of large old wooden doors has been painted with a Mediterranean (almost classic Italian) theme, and the village's bell is housed in the typical wrought iron cage seen in so many of these mountainside villages.

St Maurice, France

Le Ville de St Maurice (Val de Marne, France) is SE of Paris's 12th arrondissement. We stayed with friends in this quiet Parisian suburb for about four weeks last spring, helping to organize their library's research holdings on Peace and Anabaptist Studies. The small town is charming because although it is perhaps 30 minutes from the center of Paris, it is remarkably different from the capital city in architecture, economic status, culture and ambition. Rather, it seems to be a lovely place to raise children, to take peaceful walks, to participate in local culture (rather than be only onlookers) and live at a slightly slower pace. Most private gardens are hidden from public view, but we are occasionally granted glimpses of the fruits of years of labour. Some houses are decorated with gingerbread, one roof has a wonderfully useful permanent ladder for the chimney sweep, I suspect the stork hasn't moved in years, and motor scooters park anywhere.