Yesterday was a day full of churches! I woke up way early on Sunday (like 8am, but it felt pretty early) and left a note on the kitchen table for my host family, letting them know that I was in church with Johnny and that I'd be back around 11:00. Johnny goes to an Orthodox church, and has asking me if I'd like to join him for weeks. I kept blowing him off because I didn't want to get up early, but I really was interested to see what the experience was like, so I finally sucked it up and said yes. We met in Schwedenplatz, just a few blocks away from the church about 20 minutes early. I like that about Johnny, he's never late and mostly early. And if you know me well, you know that I have serious anxiety about being late, and I tend to be at least 15 minutes early for everything... Anyway, Johnny was trying out a new church in Vienna, the Greek Orthodox Church. We walked in the door and everybody turned around and scowled at us. Johnny, growing up in this religion fit right in by kissing pictures of saints and knowing when to make a cross over his body (I don't know what that's called!). This one lady just really couldn't stop scowling at me because I clearly didn't fit in, as I didn't practice any of those things... not to mention I was the only young girl with blonde hair in a church full of old Greek people. I just kept persistantly smiling at her, and I think by the end of the service she warmed up to me! Johnny really knew his stuff and was super enthusiastic about explaining all of the rituals and actions to me. It was entirely in Greek, so neither of us really understood, but he explained it was run identically to how it was back home in English. During the whole service I felt like I was sent back in time. The priests were decked out in full on robes (excuse my lack of religious terminology) and looked like popes. There were hidden doors and incese, as well as a lot of singing and candles burning. The entire thing was super traditional. I totally felt like I was in a movie, and really appreciated gaining a new appreciation for all that goes on there every Sunday. But by the end I was pretty tired (we had to stand the whole time) and it was almost 12:00. So I thanked Johnny and headed home to get some lunch.
My host mom then told me we'd be touring Karlskirche at 1:00 and I was super excited to see the inside of this outstanding church! Karlskirche (St. Charles' Church) is known as one of Vienna's prettiest churches, and has an incredible history too. In 1713, after the plague finally left Vienna, Emperor Charles VI vowed that he would build a large church dedicated to St. Charles who tended to the afflicted upon deliverance after the plague. It began construction in 1716 and was completed in 1739. That gives you a small idea of the extent of this church. I've seen its massive, seafoam green, ovular dome and two giant towers inscripted with stone figures several times from the outside. But I'd never been inside. Some current renovations are being done to the 300 year old church, and a temporary elavator was put in. We got a chance to ride up the elevator to be able to see the details on the elaborately painted ceiling. It was a little freaky being so high up in the air, but being so close to the paintings, you see things that are impossible to see from the ground. Tiny, metallic gold deatails cover all of the figures and stories are told within the paintings. We got to go even higher up into the cupola by walking up five flights of stairs. That was so amazing and so scary at the same time. The whole structure swayed back and forth with each step, and it was a lonnnnng fall back down. But at the same time, I was literally inches away from the ceiling of this magnificent dome! I took so many pictures and had fun laughing with my host parents as Babsi and I squealed every time the stairs shook! I had a wonderful day of churches and feeling as lucky as ever!
I'm sorry there's still not any pictures... Blogger won't let me upload them for some reason, but I'll figure it out soon!
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