Posted on 11/01/2012 6:36:15 AM PDT by marshmallow
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Standing in the Sistine Chapel under Michelangelo's famous ceiling frescoes, people are reminded that the world was created by God in a supreme act of love, Pope Benedict XVI said.
"With a unique expressive intensity," the pope said, Michelangelo depicted the power and majesty of God the creator in a way that proclaimed "the world is not the product of darkness, chaos or absurdity, but derives from intelligence, freedom, a supreme act of love."
Pope Benedict made his remarks Oct. 31 during an evening prayer service marking the 500th anniversary of the prayer service led by Pope Julius II in 1512 to celebrate Michelangelo's completion of the ceiling paintings.
Up to 20,000 people visit the Sistine Chapel each day as part of their tour of the Vatican Museums, but, "the chapel contemplated in prayer is even more beautiful, more authentic; it reveals all its richness," the pope said.
With a small group of cardinals, Vatican employees and guests joining him for the prayer service, the pope asked them to try to imagine what it must have been like 500 years ago to look up and see those famous paintings for the first time.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnews.com ...
saw it this summer, for the second time. First time, a long time ago, the Last Judgment was concealed for restoration. This time it was unveiled.
It’s worth it to watch The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), both for the (somewhat fictionalized) context, but also for the fine acting of Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058886/
As a technical note, the movie was filmed in the less well known format called Todd-AO (as well as Cinemascope), the former which produces a superior transfer to High Definition digital, both for picture and sound, so the movie looks and sounds superb on Blu-Ray with a good sound system.
“That is a good ceiling, Michaelangelo, but I want a BETTER ceiling, and I want it by tomorrow morning!”
- Dave Barry on what if the Vatican were run by Harvard MBA yuppies.
I mentioned to my wife that that that was also the same day Luther drove a nail in a door in Germany.
The chapel is beautiful!
And if it was done by UNION workers, they would still be arguing over the design after 500 years.
What surprised my wife and I was the size of the chapel. Much smaller than I would have imagined but beautiful none the less. I love that they ask of you complete silence while in there. Rome is an amazing city and I can’t wait to go back.
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