Elegant Beauty

I walked across the cobbled-stone parvis to the huge wooden doors under the tympanum. Pulling them open, I stepped into the dim entry to the nave of this Abbey Church of Sainte Foy. Light streamed into the high windows around the aspe bathing the stone walls and elegant, almost austere columns in a soft glow. The sight took my breath away! No Gothic decoration or multi-colored stained glass windows in this house of God, only simple, almost geometric windows and the clean, straight lines that identify this style as 'romanesque.' I explored the church walking up and down the ambulatory, wandering around the transept, sitting on the hard wooden pews. I imagined how it must have felt to sit here in the Middle Ages, worshipping in this mighty space, venerating Sainte Foy, and feeling God's presence in every stone, every column, every window...

The bells began to toll, and one by one, the white-robed Brothers hurried to take their places in the choir. As the last tolling bell faded away, the liturgy began in a sweet, pure tenor voice. When the brief office ended, one of the Brothers strode to the grand piano tucked away in the transept and began to play. I knew this church was special; I knew I needed to return here again.