The past few days have flown by, from a first day of exhausting
city scavenger-hunts to adjusting to the time-change. Officially, class
started today, so I had my first assignment. With the meet-up set
outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the class split off into groups to
identify, explore, and capture the various churches of Dublin, Ireland. I
had a great time navigating the streets of Dublin. Looking for the
towering steeples of the churches definitely made it easier to find my
way around.
Once we entered St. Patrick’s Cathedral, there was so much to see, it was amazing. There were amazing stain-glass windows, decorative flooring, expansive columns and ceilings. Everything within the cathedral took my breath away. When I looked up, there were vast, vaulting ceilings. On every wall there were statues, plaques, and/or grave-makers. The cathedral contained so much history, that it was hard to take in, but I took a bunch of pictures, and while, I know that pictures do not do it justice, I included a few pictures from my visit inside the cathedral.
Beyond the sheer size and immense décor, St. Patrick’s Cathedral also offered a lot of history to its visitors. It is obviously set up for visitors and tourists, however, it was still quite an educational experience. For instance, throughout the cathedral there are engravings dedicated to the Irishmen who gave their lives during the First World War. Similarly, there are actively burning candles, placed by and light by active members of the congregation. I was in awe of how dedicated the church seemed to be to the Irish people.
After we finished up at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we went into another, less opulent Catholic Church, the Whitefriar church. While the exterior was not as grand as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the interior of the church was spectacular. There were various statues, paintings, and murals throughout the church. In particular, I paid special attention to the area devoted to the saints. As shown below, there were at least five separate saints depicted.
In the Whitefrair Church, there were also various stained glass windows. Like most Catholic Churches, these stained glass windows depicted various biblical scenes, in intricate designs and layouts. Similarly, in both St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Whitefriar Church the alter was decorative, separated, and dedicated to reverence. Since I am not particularly versed in Catholic etiquette and decorum, I simply took a variety of pictures, careful not to disturbed those around me. While taking these pictures, I noticed that the alters are very similar. The layout is basically the same, so while the details and church-specific aspects vary, the general feel is similar.
As shown in the pictures, the Dublin Mosque appears to be very minimalistic. The décor is very simple, as compared to the large, lavish interior of Christian churches. Since I am not as familiar with the traditions of the Muslim religion, I was not sure what to expect when entering the mosque. Our guide was unbelievably helpful. He told us when to remove our shoes, where to go (the balcony), and who to speak to when we got to the balcony. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to view and compare different religions within a different country!!
Similar to the other churches I visited, the Dublin Mosque felt very peaceful, and held a very devote air. I felt very honored to be allowed admission into the mosque, especially since I was an outsider. People were actively practicing their religion, which I think added authenticity to the experience of my visit.
We also visited Church of Mary Immaculate, another breath-taking church, only this one was a Pentecostal church. From the outside, visitors see an enormous dome and various Corinthian columns. After steeping through the doors, I entered a place of peace. Everywhere I turned, the walls were covered by portraits and statues of Biblical figures. This church was different, because instead of featuring large stain-glass windows, there was an enormous decorative dome.
As shown above, the dome and extensive statues made this church a wonderful experience. This church was particularly interesting because there was no one inside the church (at least that I saw). My partner and I got to explore the silent, serene church, which was amazing. I remember when we left, we both commented on how peaceful the visit had made us.
I can honestly say that wandering around, looking at the churches was an unbelievably humbling experience for me. From the beautiful and intricate architecture to the peaceful atmosphere, I think that the churches of Dublin are vastly different from the churches I visited in the United States. This speaks to the significance and impact that religion and the church have in Ireland.
To me, the churches seemed to be more connected to their surroundings. This could be partially impacted by the closeness of the buildings. In some of the photos, you can see how the churches are practically intertwined with the community. In contrast to churches in the United States, the churches and mosques of Dublin are situated in between everyday homes and business. The churches in the United States, however, are more separated, with vast and somewhat imposing campuses. Furthermore, since the churches and mosques are so central, it can be assumed that the various religions are impacting the population of the area.
I cannot wait to explore more of the city, get to know the people, and experience every part of Irish culture. Tune-in tomorrow to hear about Irish music, historic Dublin, and much more!!
--
Read along with Shannon at https://shannonsdublintrip.wordpress.com/
Learn more about the U of A Faculty-Led: Education Abroad: Ireland at https://studyabroad.uark.edu/eduireland
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
My partner and I started out by exploring the vast hall of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The outside of the cathedral is breathtaking, there is no doubt about it. At one end, there is the steeple, reaching towards the sky. I distinctly remember being able to see it from three or four blocks away.On the same side as the steeple is the façade, which is a characteristic of traditional churches. Similarly, the layout of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, from above, is laid out like a cross.
Once we entered St. Patrick’s Cathedral, there was so much to see, it was amazing. There were amazing stain-glass windows, decorative flooring, expansive columns and ceilings. Everything within the cathedral took my breath away. When I looked up, there were vast, vaulting ceilings. On every wall there were statues, plaques, and/or grave-makers. The cathedral contained so much history, that it was hard to take in, but I took a bunch of pictures, and while, I know that pictures do not do it justice, I included a few pictures from my visit inside the cathedral.
Beyond the sheer size and immense décor, St. Patrick’s Cathedral also offered a lot of history to its visitors. It is obviously set up for visitors and tourists, however, it was still quite an educational experience. For instance, throughout the cathedral there are engravings dedicated to the Irishmen who gave their lives during the First World War. Similarly, there are actively burning candles, placed by and light by active members of the congregation. I was in awe of how dedicated the church seemed to be to the Irish people.
The Whitefriar Church
After we finished up at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we went into another, less opulent Catholic Church, the Whitefriar church. While the exterior was not as grand as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the interior of the church was spectacular. There were various statues, paintings, and murals throughout the church. In particular, I paid special attention to the area devoted to the saints. As shown below, there were at least five separate saints depicted.
In the Whitefrair Church, there were also various stained glass windows. Like most Catholic Churches, these stained glass windows depicted various biblical scenes, in intricate designs and layouts. Similarly, in both St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Whitefriar Church the alter was decorative, separated, and dedicated to reverence. Since I am not particularly versed in Catholic etiquette and decorum, I simply took a variety of pictures, careful not to disturbed those around me. While taking these pictures, I noticed that the alters are very similar. The layout is basically the same, so while the details and church-specific aspects vary, the general feel is similar.
The Dublin Mosque
While the majority of the churches I visited were Catholic Churches, I also got to visit the Dublin Mosque and a Pentecostal church. This was the first time that I had actually entered a mosque, so it was a particularly unique experience for me. Oddly enough, the Dublin Mosque is housed in an old church. From the exterior architecture and some aspects of the interior, it is obvious that the mosque used to be a church. Because the religions are different and their places of worship are also different, it was interesting to see how a church was transformed into a mosque.
As shown in the pictures, the Dublin Mosque appears to be very minimalistic. The décor is very simple, as compared to the large, lavish interior of Christian churches. Since I am not as familiar with the traditions of the Muslim religion, I was not sure what to expect when entering the mosque. Our guide was unbelievably helpful. He told us when to remove our shoes, where to go (the balcony), and who to speak to when we got to the balcony. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to view and compare different religions within a different country!!
Similar to the other churches I visited, the Dublin Mosque felt very peaceful, and held a very devote air. I felt very honored to be allowed admission into the mosque, especially since I was an outsider. People were actively practicing their religion, which I think added authenticity to the experience of my visit.
Church of Mary Immaculate
We also visited Church of Mary Immaculate, another breath-taking church, only this one was a Pentecostal church. From the outside, visitors see an enormous dome and various Corinthian columns. After steeping through the doors, I entered a place of peace. Everywhere I turned, the walls were covered by portraits and statues of Biblical figures. This church was different, because instead of featuring large stain-glass windows, there was an enormous decorative dome.
As shown above, the dome and extensive statues made this church a wonderful experience. This church was particularly interesting because there was no one inside the church (at least that I saw). My partner and I got to explore the silent, serene church, which was amazing. I remember when we left, we both commented on how peaceful the visit had made us.
I can honestly say that wandering around, looking at the churches was an unbelievably humbling experience for me. From the beautiful and intricate architecture to the peaceful atmosphere, I think that the churches of Dublin are vastly different from the churches I visited in the United States. This speaks to the significance and impact that religion and the church have in Ireland.
To me, the churches seemed to be more connected to their surroundings. This could be partially impacted by the closeness of the buildings. In some of the photos, you can see how the churches are practically intertwined with the community. In contrast to churches in the United States, the churches and mosques of Dublin are situated in between everyday homes and business. The churches in the United States, however, are more separated, with vast and somewhat imposing campuses. Furthermore, since the churches and mosques are so central, it can be assumed that the various religions are impacting the population of the area.
I cannot wait to explore more of the city, get to know the people, and experience every part of Irish culture. Tune-in tomorrow to hear about Irish music, historic Dublin, and much more!!
--
Read along with Shannon at https://shannonsdublintrip.wordpress.com/
Learn more about the U of A Faculty-Led: Education Abroad: Ireland at https://studyabroad.uark.edu/eduireland
