Hagia Sophia is a breath taking worship space originally built under the rule of Justinian in 6th century Constantinople. It is magnificent -- in scale, in craftsmanship, in materials. Even looking at photos you can feel a bit of the sense wonder one would feel standing in this expansive space. The marble floors are wavy like a sea, allowing anyone who enters the chance to be a participant in the Biblical narrative. You are with Peter as he takes those shaky steps across the water toward Christ. You are in the midst of those mysterious moments of creation when the spirit hovers over the waters. Looking up, as the massive dome arches toward heaven, you feel closer to the infinite. Nothing in symmetrical, everything in disorienting, drawing the viewer past a world of understanding, into a mystical experience. As we study these pictures in art, I am reminded of the power of beauty to draw us into the heart of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment