Dear Parishioners and Friends,
I hope all of you experienced a joyful celebration of Christmas! Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I am reminded of how my family used to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. One of the activities we enjoyed was the annual drive around the surrounding suburbs of Buffalo to see the homes decorated with lights and Christmas displays.
In that spirit, I’d like to share some memories and photos of my recent trip to Europe. It started with a few days in France and cities of Strasbourg and Colmar. Strasbourg has a reputation for being the “Capitale de Noël,” and it certainly has a festive atmosphere throughout the city. Its cathedral is very tall, and it forms the centerpiece of a delightful Christmas market or “marché.” Here is the cathedral illuminated at nighttime.
The second stop was a return to Cologne which I first visited in 2019. Cologne, too, has some of the best Christmas markets in Europe, about six in all. Unfortunately, they are also the most crowded markets in Europe! Nonetheless, we were able to visit most of them (sometimes twice) in just a few days’ time. Cologne’s cathedral is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, and it towers over the center of the city along the Rhine River.
From Cologne we moved on to Brussels with day trips to Ghent and Bruges. Perhaps the most moving and memorable moment of the trip was to spend time in St. Bavo’s Cathedral and take in the famous altarpiece by Jan van Eyck, “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.” This great work of art has been restored recently, and is housed in a large, dimly lit chapel at the far end of the vast cathedral. Here is how it looks now:
It takes quite a bit of time to examine the details of this masterpiece, but it is worth it! The Ghent altarpiece has a long and beleaguered history, but it is a feast for the eyes.
One final highlight of the trip was a day in Bruges and a visit to the Church of Our Lady where Michelangelo’s lovely carving of the Blessed Mother and Child Jesus sits in a side chapel. It radiates peacefulness and calm.
My trips to Europe have always been filled with art and architecture that speak to me of the beauty and grandeur of God. May you find similar ways to experience the divine presence!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
