Speaking of how all churches are beautiful, important, and deeply loved - even the modern ones... I popped into Coventry Cathedral yesterday.

Let's talk about some "controversial" modern architecture, and the power and importance of symbolism.
In order to truly understand Coventry Cathedral, you must, first, understand what happened to the city on the 14th of November, 1940.
At 7:20pm, on the night of 14th of November, 1940 the most devastating bombing raid carried out on the UK began. Bombs fell, uninterrupted, for ten hours.

Two-thirds of the city was destroyed, including thousands of homes. An unknown number of people died.

The cathedral burned.
At 7:20pm, on the night of 14th of November, 1940 the most devastating bombing raid carried out on the UK began. Bombs fell, uninterrupted, for ten hours.Two-thirds of the city was destroyed, including thousands of homes. An unknown number of people died.The cathedral burned.
At 7:20pm, on the night of 14th of November, 1940 the most devastating bombing raid carried out on the UK began. Bombs fell, uninterrupted, for ten hours.Two-thirds of the city was destroyed, including thousands of homes. An unknown number of people died.The cathedral burned.
At 7:20pm, on the night of 14th of November, 1940 the most devastating bombing raid carried out on the UK began. Bombs fell, uninterrupted, for ten hours.Two-thirds of the city was destroyed, including thousands of homes. An unknown number of people died.The cathedral burned.
At 7:20pm, on the night of 14th of November, 1940 the most devastating bombing raid carried out on the UK began. Bombs fell, uninterrupted, for ten hours.Two-thirds of the city was destroyed, including thousands of homes. An unknown number of people died.The cathedral burned.
Given the option, between rebuilding the cathedral, as some kind of replica of what once was, and building something else entirely, the decision was made to create something new, connected to the ruins of the old cathedral.
Instead of choosing rage, and anger, and what once was, the Cathedral became a vast symbol. A literal move forward, not forgetting the past, not disconnected from it, but not clutching to it, either.

The building is full of calls for peace, and reconciliation.
On the wall, behind the altar of the old, bombed-out cathedral, are the words "Father Forgive" in large carved and gilded letters.
Inside the new cathedral, there is an emphasis on light.

The Cathedral is turned, so that the West end looks out on the ruins of the old cathedral, and it's a great wall of glass, etched with dozens of angels.
Inside the new cathedral, there is an emphasis on light.The Cathedral is turned, so that the West end looks out on the ruins of the old cathedral, and it's a great wall of glass, etched with dozens of angels.
Inside the new cathedral, there is an emphasis on light.The Cathedral is turned, so that the West end looks out on the ruins of the old cathedral, and it's a great wall of glass, etched with dozens of angels.
Immediately inside you're struck by the great tapestry of Jesus that covers the East wall, and in front of it these gorgeous choir stalls with geometric wooden decorations that almost look like origami birds taking flight.
Immediately inside you're struck by the great tapestry of Jesus that covers the East wall, and in front of it these gorgeous choir stalls with geometric wooden decorations that almost look like origami birds taking flight.
Immediately inside you're struck by the great tapestry of Jesus that covers the East wall, and in front of it these gorgeous choir stalls with geometric wooden decorations that almost look like origami birds taking flight.
Immediately inside you're struck by the great tapestry of Jesus that covers the East wall, and in front of it these gorgeous choir stalls with geometric wooden decorations that almost look like origami birds taking flight.
Immediately inside you're struck by the great tapestry of Jesus that covers the East wall, and in front of it these gorgeous choir stalls with geometric wooden decorations that almost look like origami birds taking flight.
The walls are punctured with floor to ceiling stained glass, window after window.
The walls are punctured with floor to ceiling stained glass, window after window.
The walls are punctured with floor to ceiling stained glass, window after window.
The walls are punctured with floor to ceiling stained glass, window after window.
The walls are punctured with floor to ceiling stained glass, window after window.
And there's a number of side chapels. This is the Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane. You approach it up a small ramp, seeing the Angel glimmering gold through the iron crown of thorns.
And there's a number of side chapels. This is the Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane. You approach it up a small ramp, seeing the Angel glimmering gold through the iron crown of thorns.
And there's a number of side chapels. This is the Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane. You approach it up a small ramp, seeing the Angel glimmering gold through the iron crown of thorns.
And there's a number of side chapels. This is the Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane. You approach it up a small ramp, seeing the Angel glimmering gold through the iron crown of thorns.
If you pass that chapel, turning right, you come to the Chapel of Christ the Servant - all windows and light. With a gorgeous piece of artwork suspended above the modest altar.
If you pass that chapel, turning right, you come to the Chapel of Christ the Servant - all windows and light. With a gorgeous piece of artwork suspended above the modest altar.
If you pass that chapel, turning right, you come to the Chapel of Christ the Servant - all windows and light. With a gorgeous piece of artwork suspended above the modest altar.
If you pass that chapel, turning right, you come to the Chapel of Christ the Servant - all windows and light. With a gorgeous piece of artwork suspended above the modest altar.
If you pass that chapel, turning right, you come to the Chapel of Christ the Servant - all windows and light. With a gorgeous piece of artwork suspended above the modest altar.
Back in the main body of the building, you come across the baptistry. The font is a hollowed out boulder, and the curved wall behind it is all stained glass, the colours changing to a great ball of gold.
Back in the main body of the building, you come across the baptistry. The font is a hollowed out boulder, and the curved wall behind it is all stained glass, the colours changing to a great ball of gold.
Back in the main body of the building, you come across the baptistry. The font is a hollowed out boulder, and the curved wall behind it is all stained glass, the colours changing to a great ball of gold.
Back in the main body of the building, you come across the baptistry. The font is a hollowed out boulder, and the curved wall behind it is all stained glass, the colours changing to a great ball of gold.
If you look closely, you'll see the slender columns that promenade down the sides of the cathedral, tapering down from the undulating ceiling, stop, slightly, before they touch the floor - combining with the light to give the space a kind of weightless magic.
If you look closely, you'll see the slender columns that promenade down the sides of the cathedral, tapering down from the undulating ceiling, stop, slightly, before they touch the floor - combining with the light to give the space a kind of weightless magic.
If you look closely, you'll see the slender columns that promenade down the sides of the cathedral, tapering down from the undulating ceiling, stop, slightly, before they touch the floor - combining with the light to give the space a kind of weightless magic.
If you look closely, you'll see the slender columns that promenade down the sides of the cathedral, tapering down from the undulating ceiling, stop, slightly, before they touch the floor - combining with the light to give the space a kind of weightless magic.
Everywhere there's reminders of peace, and reconciliation, rising out of the ruins.
Everywhere there's reminders of peace, and reconciliation, rising out of the ruins.
Everywhere there's reminders of peace, and reconciliation, rising out of the ruins.
After the cathedral was bombed, and burned, they collected the nails, and made them into crosses, hundreds of crosses, and sent them all over the world - regardless of which side of the World War the recipient nation had been on.

Small reminders of the importance of peace.
What struck me most, as I began to walk away, was this - tucked away beside the ruins of the old cathedral, a memorial, not just for those lost in Coventry, but worldwide, throughout time.

For unknown civilians, killed in war.
And so, you see, rebuilding what once was, and reliving some imagined past, is not always the answer.

It might be harder, but often it is far more important, to build something that calls for us to be better.
If you liked this thread and want to send me a tip you can do so at http://ko-fi.com/jayhulme  or you can support me more regularly on Patreon, https://patreon.com/jayhulme  or, you know, donate to an organisation that helps refugees, that's today's great humanitarian disaster.
You can find more of my church adventures here: https://twitter.com/JayHulmePoet/status/1294387410642579456
Now the thread's over, have these close-ups of the stained glass, I took them especially for all you stained glass nerds out there.
Now the thread's over, have these close-ups of the stained glass, I took them especially for all you stained glass nerds out there.
Now the thread's over, have these close-ups of the stained glass, I took them especially for all you stained glass nerds out there.
Now the thread's over, have these close-ups of the stained glass, I took them especially for all you stained glass nerds out there.
Now the thread's over, have these close-ups of the stained glass, I took them especially for all you stained glass nerds out there.
I previously told the story of how another church in Coventry, Holy Trinity, survived that night - I can't wait to visit it in person, but due to the plague it's only open very irregularly at the minute. https://twitter.com/JayHulmePoet/status/1263170062346838016
You can follow @JayHulmePoet.
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