Em's Dailies..

I will share my extra-ordinary experience as I walked along the path that led me to Rosslyn Chapel.

More than thirty-seven collegiate churches were built in Scotland between the reigns of James I and James IV (1406-1513). They were secular foundations intended to spread intellectual and spiritual knowledge, and the extravagance of their construction depended on the wealth of their founder. The foundation stone was laid on St. Matthew's Day, 21st September 1446. The orientation is due East and West, marked out by the solar ray, according to the ancient tradition. A geometrical figure is usually used to regulate the proportions, and a double equilateral triangle is used in Rosslyn. The full original structure has been greatly reduced worn out by time, but the Rosslyn Chapel is still a living and servicing chapel. I mustered my internal strength and climbed up the canopy for this shot. Whew~ The things we do for love.

I've never seen such intricate carvings this old before. It is true that one can spend a lifetime (or probably hundreds of lifetimes) just to make sense of the decorations. To me, they are so grotesque and too non-catholic. I don't mean to offend but there's something daring and imposing about these carvings that it almost becomes too scary to stay inside. By now, you can guess that St. Margareth's chapel is still my fave.

The interiors of the chapel still looks very much the chapel that it should be. But what is truly amazing is all those carvings, you can find them all over. A noticeable design are leaves and roses. I'm trying to figure out by memory exactly how Dan Brown described this place. But after over 600 years, I can attest that it is grand. And it was probably meant to build for such greatness.

Here's a better view of the interiors. Unfortunately the original plans for Rosslyn have never been found or recorded, so it is open to speculation whether or not the chapel was intended to be built in its current layout. The fact the foundations for a much larger nave were excavated in the nineteenth century and can be seen today suggest grander plans were made for the chapel at its inauguration. The chapel as seen now is therefore what would have been the choir as the larger nave was never built. However as it stands today Rosslyn's asymmetry is just one of the many unique architectural features.

The sphires apex are carved of roses (Da Vinci codes was echoing in my ears..follow the roses, hahaha!)

This is a closer look at the pilar's carvings*unfortunately, I couldn't give more justice to the real one. Once again, carving is the name of he game here.

Let's go back again inside and find our holy grail! Hahahaha. Below is a pilar unlike all the rest. It was standing just to the left of a staircase leading to the templars.

This is one of those templars referred to by Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code. The instription dates back to the 13th century.

And here is a carving, I suppose from another templar. You can see an Egyptian artistic sense. They say that SinClair family, protector of this chapel were very fond of Egypt.

Unfortunately, I didn't see anything close to the archives which show Mary Magdalene's bloodlines. But one thing I can say though that this chapel must have, once upon a time, been really secluded. Here's a look at what I had to put up on my little journey to what they say as the origin of the quest for the Holy Grail.

So, here I am, still looking sleepy. Nothing much has changed, although for a while I seriously wondered if all of these were true, so much of the questions about the details of Catholicism would further arise. But to me, it doesn't matter, because I think that the real essence of religion is that there is this One all powerful Being out there, protecting me, who has a wonderful plan for me and for the whole world. I sometimes struggle and fight with him just like any other parent, but in the end, I know that I will always go home to my Lord.