Sacred Places

We live in an age where architectural styles vary from the sublime to the ridiculous, quite literally. Massive skyscrapers are often built in a matter of a couple years- or less. But I’m always in awe of the cathedrals, monasteries, abbeys, priories and village churches that were built in Britain during medieval times using manual labor– there’s nothing being constructed today that can compare. While most medieval buildings are long gone, these places of worship survive today, sometimes as empty shells or ruins, but often still as fully functional churches and cathedrals, performing the same function they were built for hundreds and hundreds of years ago.

I’ve also expanded my reach to include sacred places of rest. While few people venture willingly into cemeteries, I’ve made it a habit of visiting them, often without a camera, just to read headstones and think about those buried there. I truly think some of the most beautiful and emotional statuary anywhere can be found in a churchyard or cemetery. The depictions of sorrow carved in stone or forged in metal can be absolutely haunting.