CREATION OF MAN

Years ago we visited The Washington National Cathedral.  I shared a lot of the cathedral photos but I somehow missed this one, as I have just found it in one of my draft folders.  It is over one of the entrances and is called Ex Nihilo ("Out of Nothing") It depicts the creation of man.  

It was completed in 1982 - more information here - and the sculptor is Frederick Hart.  Hart’s depiction of the birth of mankind is considered one of the most important commissions of religious sculpture in the 20th century. The tympanum above the central door features half-formed figures of men and women emerging from the void. Beneath stands the figure of Adam, his eyes not yet open and his body not fully freed from the surrounding stone. The north tympanum depicts the Creation of Day, and the south tympanum depicts the Creation of Night.

Frederick Hart also created the The Three Soldiers which is a very famous sculpture and one I know very well, near the The Wall in Washington DC, both of which I have visited many times over the years I have lived here.  If you go here you can see other memorials in that area.  As I feel about all memorials, I find these very moving.

If you go to this link and click on the location icons it will take you to other photos around the Cathedral.  

If you click on the label below entitled The Washington National Cathedral_Washington DC., it will take you to other posts published.

Thank you for visiting and 

have a great day!

THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL - A 5.8 EARTHQUAKE....

that occurred at 1.51 p.m. on August 23rd, 2011, caused more than $34 million in damage to the Cathedral.   This earthquake was the largest the East Coast had experienced in 115 years.

Pinnacles weighing hundreds and even thousands of pounds came crashing down.  Fortunately most fell inward onto the structure's parapets, instead of outward, where they could have caused serious bodily harm to those who only moments before had been admiring the cathedral from outside, or who were running out of the cathedral as it shook.  

There was a small, fenced off area where some of those fallen pieces were on display, with a description of what was being done.

It reads, "The Earthquake.  On August 23rd, 2011, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake shook the East Coast, causing over $34 million in damage to Washington National Cathedral.  While the Cathedral withstood the quake largely in tact, buttresses cracked, large limestone pinnacles twisted, and hand-carved finials, including these stones, fell.

Work completed.  Through private donations only, the Cathedral was able to raise $10 million in the two years following the earthquake to complete Phase 1 repairs and to restore the interior and provide seismic reinforments and repairs to the 

east end flying buttresses.  This work was completed in June 2015.

Not done yet.  While the Cathedral's interior earthquake damage has been repaired, nearly 87% of the exterior still needs restoration.  In March 2016, we began the first part of Phase 2 earthquake efforts, but we have $22 million left to go.  The remaining work can only be completed as gifts are given by donors, foundations and every day people who join us in renewing this house of prayer for all people."

And then it goes on to give the e-mail address where donations can be arranged.  

I have to confess that we had no idea this much damage had been done to the Cathedral, and that work was an ongoing process after all these years.

  

We had parked in an underground car park not too far away from here.  You can see the glass enclosed elevator shafts on the right of the picture below.

Inside there were other fallen pieces on display...

and on the seventh floor there is a whole exhibit.

Washington National Cathedral is on Facebook here.

Just for added info, the Washington Monument will be closed indefinitely.  (I read somewhere until 2019.)  It was closed due to damage done in the earthquake and repairs were made.  Additionally its elevators have had numerous problems due to their age and are no longer deemed safe. People are not allowed to use the stairs any more.  Gregg remembers walking to the top when on a school trip to the Nation's Capital in 1961. 

The Washington Monument has a Facebook page which you can see here.

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

The following photos were taken below ground level, where there are five small chapels known as The Crypt.

This is The Resurrection Chapel, and contains mosaic scenes which depict the appearances of Jesus following his resurrection.

The mosaics in the back were designed by one of the most prolific and long-lived cathedral artists, Rowan LeCompte and his wife Irene.  




So the story goes, Mr. LeCompte became enamored by the stained glass on a visit to the cathedral when he was 13 years of age, and he took up the craft.

He has designed more than 40 stained-glass windows for the cathedral, including the great West Rose Window and all of the clerestory (top-level windows in the nave).

If interested I found a YouTube video on the making of the mosaics.  If you can't see it below, the link is here.  The video wasn't very clear at times but the narration was informative.



The cathedral would appeal to those who are not Christian, and people of all faiths can be seen here. It truly is a magnificent structure, and its architecture, history and artwork is amazing.

This is the final resting place of Alfred Harding, the second bishop of Washington National Cathedral, his wife Justine and their infant son.

I am not sure where I found the painting below, except that it was in the crypt.  A hallway between chapels perhaps.


The only other we entered was The Bethlehem Chapel.  We intend to go back to see the others.

There was a lady here.  She was sitting in a pew to the side, quietly reading a book.  After the hot, muggy weather outside, the coolness underground was very much a comfort.  One could sit in quiet contemplation for a long time without being disturbed.  

Bethlehem Chapel was the first part of the cathedral built on top of the foundation stone, at what is now the crypt level.   Beneath its altar is that foundation stone, which contains a piece of rock from a field near Bethlehem.  It was set on September 29th, 1907, in a ceremony attended by President Theodore Roosevelt.

A worship service has been held here every day since it was finished in 1912.  Bethlehem Chapel was dedicated to the first bishop, Bishop Satterlee, whose remains are laid to rest behind the altar in an alabaster sarcophagus, along with those of his wife Jane.  Bishop Satterlee was a major player in getting the cathedral constructed.  

The chapel also contains the tomb of Admiral George Dewey, hero of the Spanish-American War and later a member of the Cathedral Chapter.

More photos of our time at the cathedral in later posts.

BISHOP'S GARDEN AT THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

In the above photo, near the second car from the right parked next to the wall, is the archway leading into the Bishop's Garden.  We are on the seventh floor where we can see the most incredible views.  The photo only shows half of the garden.  There is a large lawn to the right out of sight.

The roses were a little past their prime but I loved the sunflowers.  They were the star of the show today, not forgetting the Cathedral behind them.

I have a few other photos from here, which I will share later.  However, I wanted to finish this post with a pretty mockingbird atop an old carved stone in the garden.