Los Angeles has some spectacular Church Spires, which is remarkable since we’re often referred to as Sin City. But in a city with over 2,000 churches, we can’t all be bad, can we? Maybe that’s why we’re also known as the City of Angels. Clearly, church and community have been very important to Angelenos over the decades. Why else would so much time, effort and money have gone into creating such total works of art.
A Spire etymologically is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass. Symbolically they have two functions: to proclaim marital power, (reminiscent of the spear point it gives the impression of strength) and to reach towards the skies. The celestial and hopeful gesture of the spire is one reason for its association with religious buildings. It’s not just a symbol of piety, but is often seen as a symbol of the wealth and prestige of the order, or patron who commissioned the building.
The movie Stigmata has always been one of my favorite films. IMDB lists it as Horror/Thriller, however, I think it’s quite remarkable in it’s message. Basically the film has 3 scholarly priests, located in 3 regions of the world, each deciphering a portion of a long lost document, believed to be the actual word of Christ. Never allowed to share their findings with each other, the Church swears them to secrecy. Alas, Patricia Arquette begins to channel the findings of one priest via his rosary beads, a gift from her eccentric mother purchased at a Sau Paulo street fair. By the end of the film we learn the simple premise: Break open a stone, and I am there. Cut open a piece of wood, and I am there. God is everywhere, therefore, we don’t really need the church. Suffice it to say, I’m not a terribly religious guy. That said, I’ve never felt closer to god than when sitting in front of the Rose Window at Notre Dame in Paris. The craftsmanship of that structure, which took centuries to build, does exactly what it’s meant to do. With it’s massive stained glass windows and soaring cathedral ceilings, it inspires one to look upwards towards the heavens in complete aw.
So, as you’re stuck in LA traffic, honking your horn and waiting impatiently, take a moment to look to the tops of some the buildings around you, or on the horizon… you must just be surprised at what you see.
