The Calm of a Church

June 22, 2010 - Cobh

I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly religious; I go to church every now and then when I’m home, and I believe in God, but at this point in my life religion isn’t always a priority in my life. But when I walk into a church abroad, that feeling completely changes and I wish that I could spend ages mesmerized by the stained glass and architecture.

A feeling of calm washes over me when I enter into the cathedral that most likely has a history longer than I can imagine. I immediately felt this way as our group walked into St. Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh (pronounced Cove) on Tuesday. Though this church had no sign at the entrance ordering visitors to be quiet, the eight of us instinctively hushed our voices and hardly said a word inside. We walked up the aisle with slow steps, taking in the woodwork of the pews and the carving of the marble columns.

For me, it’s the stained glass that draws me in. The light that shines through the different colors makes me feel like everything can be okay, even if there is so much else going on in my life. Whether in a design or telling a story, the windows are more than just windows to me. They represent God and religion, and even when you’re thousands of miles from home, the church is a universal connector.

Ireland is a traditionally Catholic country, though the importance of the religion has wavered in recent years. Churches across the continent — from La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona to Notre Dame in Paris to the tiny ones that I’ve attended services in Greece and Spain — tie together a group of people. Though I may not understand what the priest is saying or know the words to the songs the choir sings, I know what the others in the congregation are feeling.

In Cobh, most of us remarked about how gorgeous the cathedral was. The impressive “carillion” (bell tower) towers over the small port town and is the largest in Ireland with 49 bells. But we didn’t discuss what we were feeling. I don’t know if other people felt the same way when they walked through the wooden doorways, but for each person, religion is also personal. Through the church, we each went at our own pace, each of absorbed in our thoughts, whether about the day so far or our lives back home. There’s no rush to be anywhere in a church (except when a sermon is too long). Instead, the church is like a home, a place to be calm and at peace where you are.