Friday, November 19, 2004

 

Naked yoga

Naked yoga

New yorkers are keen on fitness.


Tuesday, November 09, 2004

 

Unfinished: The Cathedral

gargoyle cart
Eight-thirty one morning found her staring up at the dim vastness of the dome of the cathedral of St. John the Divine. The great gray pile, mountainous, almost ominous, looms up in the midst of the dingy commonplaceness of Amsterdam avenue and 110th street. New Yorkers do not know this, or if they know it, the fact does not interest them. New Yorkers do not go to stare up into the murky shadows of this glorious edifice. They would if it were situate in Rome. Bare, crude, unfinished, chaotic, it gives rich promise of magnificent fulfillment. In an age when great structures are thrown up to-day, to be torn down tomorrow, this slow-moving giant is at once a reproach and an example. Twenty-five years in building, twenty-five more for completion, it has elbowed its way, stone by stone, into such company as St. Peter's at Rome, and the marvel at Milan.
-- Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber
My understanding is that the builders of St. John planned not to complete it until there were no more wars. Which, I would think, would theologically have to be at the time of the second coming of Jesus, which, for a lot of us, would mean the end of the world. So. No rush as far as I’m concerned, although a time-out on wars etc. would be fine and appreciated. Still -- nosing around St. John’s it sometimes seems like they are not even making an effort to finish it. Piles of gargoyles lounge around commenting on the world as it passes by. And up-to-the-minute equipment (in 1890) is idle (but ready to go). Still its nice to see a scene as rustic as this (as peaceful, anyway) in New York City.

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?