Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul - Essay Example

RELIGION: SCARED SPACES AND TIMES SACRED SPACES AND TIME Sacred Space: Sites specially designed to have been set from every day’s life and consecratedincludes sacred performance that refuses traditions of theatrical space. (Kletter and Gittlen)Sacred Time: Commemorates the intrusion of sacred power into any ordinary world. It is different from normal/profane time individual extraordinary actions may be required. Religious people recreate sacred time on regular cyclical bases such as holy days, calendars, rituals, ritesand pilgrimages.

(Kletter and Gittlen)Functions of Sacred Space, Paradoxes and Tillich PrinciplesTypes of sacred spaces may include mountains, trees, rivers and any features or events of nature. The natural phenomenon is the evidence of divine holy presence. Relative to architecture, buildings may be erected alongside the site and rituals performed in the site. Shrines, temples and any other stationary fixtures housing sacred deeds mark sacred sites. Temples can function as churches, synagogues, mosques or congregational meeting places.

A site like altars contains holy objects and designated sacred spaces within a building. Sacred buildings may be used for congregational gatherings during the occasions for making sacred time. Examples of sacred building are prayer rugs, tallit’s and Torah scrolls, altars or objects, shrines, roadside memorials and other portable sacred spaces for prayer, sacrifice, etc.Architecture and art have led to the design of sacred places like altars that appear elevated within a building space. Designs of the altar may signify that the place is sacred like decorating them with the purple color, etc.

The general design of sacred places and building distinctively identifies the area from other ordinary structures by having some prominent signs on them e.g. the signs of the cross on top of the roofs of any Catholic churches. Art and idolatry are interconnected like Iconoclasts (Jews, Muslims, Catholics and some Protestant churches) consider images and statues to be idolatrous, and these mostly are forbidden in their religious laws. Icons in some churches serve as focal points for encountering God.

According to Tillich, history moves from powers of origin, with their legitimate unjust structures of traditional domination by prophetic criticism and kairos to fulfillment based on justice structures. The whole process being one of sacramental participation to end in culminating sacrament of theology. Secular history manifests autonomous movement parallel to that of ecclesia-movement of its Catholic sacred substance through independent yet prophetic principle to the fulfillment of both religious and its prophetic elements.

There is a paradox at the coupling of art and sacred places. They seem naturally apt to one another, similar to present forms of sacred and art are both different and estranged, and they need specific intellectual engagement, cultural activities brings them together as one. Paradoxically, modern art and architecture connects to us deeply. Design and appearance of sacred space or object poses a deeper meaning of that space or object. It shows styles used by congregations. They may be so hostile to traditional religious imagery but they turned out to be a surprisingly rhyming.

The change of Christian arts is still continuing this days,in the example, work of Maggi Hambling has been done in parishes.The sacramental principle today applies in the Cathedral though both of the principles are intertwined and no clear boundaries today.ReferenceKletter, R., & Gittlen, B. (2003). Sacred Time, Sacred Space: Archaeology and the Religion of Israel. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, (329), 99. Doi: 10.2307/1357832