A Tale of Two Churches

 St. Peter's in the Vatican

St. Paul's in London

We spent the afternoon today exploring St. Paul’s Cathedral, the “London cousin” to the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica. I have to admit that, from the outside, the two structures are quite similar, with their crowning domes that resemble that of the US Capitol building. On the inside, however, they couldn’t be more different. As I encountered these differences, I began to think about the differences I see back home when I attend mass at my Catholic church compared to when I attend a service at my grandparents’ Methodist church. Compared to the extremely detailed interior of St. Peter’s, which was almost entirely covered with either paintings or sculptures, St. Paul’s felt much more open, with its soaring white walls with gold accents. It reminded me of the more contemporary atmosphere at my hometown protestant churches versus my Catholic church, which begins with the architecture of the buildings themselves. My Catholic church’s structure feels much more intimidating to me than my grandparents’ Methodist church, just as St. Peter’s interior felt more overwhelming than St. Paul’s. The other major difference was found beneath the cathedral floors, in the crypts. In my home parish, we go to church, participate in mass, say hello to a couple of people, and then head home. At the Methodist church, on the other hand, everyone gathers afterward for fellowship, coffee, and doughnuts. It was only fitting then when I found that the crypt of St. Peter’s held the solemn tombs of the Popes, while St. Paul’s housed a bakery and café (and Wi-Fi!)

A group of us decided to climb the 500+ stairs to reach the top of the 250 foot dome of St. Paul's. Here are some views from the top: