Brick – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:
Saint Cecilia Cathedral Albi, Occitanie France. Image credit: Borisb17 | iStock

brick by brick faith builds

stone portals —a fortress that

cannot be moved

Originally completed in 1480 A.D. with cost-saving in mind rather than style, the builders of Saint Cecilia (Albi Cathedral, France) opted for foraine brick, sourced from elsewhere outside the city, instead of costly local stone (except in a few places) for this fortress-styled cathedral.

Despite this modest beginning, Saint Cecilia Cathedral, with its 21-foot (6.4 m) thick walls and over 20,000 square meters, remains today the largest brick cathedral in the world.

Trivia #1: One of the few places in Saint Cecilia Cathedral made of stone is the *featured south portal entrance, where the doors are placed within a flamboyant Southern Gothic high arch with an ornate lattice stonework canopy (or architectural baldaquin) above the wooden doors.

**Featured doors’ images are below, showing the doors, the second photo shows the scale of the entrance relative to the visitors waiting outside

South Entrance, St. Cecilia Cathedral, Albi France. Image credit: Oliver Dralam | iStock
South Entrance St. Cecilia (Albi) Cathedral, Occitanie France. Image credit: © Pakmor | Dreamstime.com

The south portal was completed in 1542. The wooden doors and stone canopy were later additions in 1692. Facade restorations begun in 2014 have now been completed.

Trivia #2: Saint Cecilia, renowned as the patron saint of Saint Cecilia, Albi Cathedral, is also the patron saint of musicians, instrument makers, songwriters, and poets.

In popular culture, Paul Simon, of Simon & Garfunkel fame, wrote the song “Oh Cecilia” in honor of Saint Cecilia, which has been covered by a few other artists.

A host of classics (literary and musical) celebrate Saint Cecilia, including literature by Geoffrey Chaucer, John Dryden, and Alexander Pope. In music, Georg Friedrich Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day is a tribute to her annual feast day.

**Fun Fact: Despite its simple brick exterior, Saint Cecilia Cathedral in Albi is celebrated for its ornate interior, featuring 18,500 m² of stunning floor-to-ceiling frescoes and murals. This rich decoration has earned the cathedral the title of the “best-decorated cathedral walls in Europe!” (Below, you can see an image of a tiny section at the back of St. Cecelia Cathedral’s nave.)

Nave, Saint Cecilia Cathedral, Albi France. Image credit: Mariedofra | iStock

St. Cecilia Cathedral Albi, France, and the thousand-year-old bridge over the River Tarn are below:

St. Cecilia Cathedral from across The River Tarn, Occitanie France. Image credit: © Pakmor | Dreamstime

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Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

60 thoughts on “Brick – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors”

  3. 21-foot (6.4 m) thick walls? That seems like it could withstand almost anything. Great poetry and an interesting post to the patron saint of poets (among others) – it seems appropriate, Suzette. I think she’d be happy. I didn’t know this was the Cecelia that inspired Paul Simon’s song. That’s cool to know.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Yes I agree Dan, those are some pretty intensely thick wall, no visitors unless invited….
      I had not thought about Cecilia as patron saint of poets in light of this share! How amazing a point you make. Thank you for that…that made my day!!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Pingback: Brick – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  6. It does look like a fortress entrance, but a very fancy fortress. The details on those columns are fantastic. I didn’t know Paul Simon’s Cecilia was about a saint. I’ll have to go listen to it again. Maggie

    Liked by 1 person

  8. What a sumptuous interior, bathed in blue and gold. I can feel the warmth of the light streaming in just looking at it! And fun fact about Paul Simon and the song “Oh Cecilia”… I should not be surprised… he’s a pretty smart guy!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, well said! I could sense the light flowing in with the shade of blues gleaming from the above Cathedral windows. I agree about Paul Simon, he is wise as he is gifted. Thank you for yout generous comment and appreciation.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. a powerful haiku

    honouring a solid brick

    beneath the crimson vaults of Albi Cathedral, where the heavens seem to kiss the earth

    a beautiful verse giving expression to the wonder and blessedness of a revered brick within a solid community of dynamic bricks

    Each of us are like living stones, and are being built into a spiritual house

    Brick by brick. We rebuild and are rebuilt brick by brick. 1 Peter 2:4-12

    what a wonderful Thursday Offering

    Albi Cathedral, a silent hymn to faith and art

    Stunning arch, I feel blessed to read.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Brick by brick. We rebuild and are rebuilt brick by brick.” 1 Peter 2:4-12
      — What a perfect homily to attached to this cathedral. Thank you for your astute reference and perfect insights, I might add. The arch is quite fabulous, looks regal in my imaginings.
      Glad you enjoyed the thursday offering.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I thoroughly appreciate the devotion and the themes of the Poets today
        Honouring friendship, the modern poet and the saint of years gone by.
        You are most welcome Poet.
        Beautiful lessons, thanks for sharing.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I love the spirit hovering over the poems and Poets today
        Honouring most deserving faithful and steadfast bricks.
        It is most inspiring to their work and their person.

        Thank you Poet.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. A magnificent architecture of this great cathedral. Pictures are awesome. A good haiku too, Suzette, but its first line stood out for me.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. It always amazes me how these massive structure can look so weightless. Or maybe it’s just that they look otherworldly. I suppose they are intermediaries, so that makes sense.

    Isn’t Cecelia the patron of music? So it makes sense for her to be honored by many artists. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Walls that are 21 feet thick? Fortress indeed! I’ve not seen photos of this before, and I am blown away by it. I’m glad you showed us the people next to the door so that I could get a better notion of size. “Flamboyant” is the exact word for that. Wow. As for Simon & Garfunkel, I had no idea the Cecilia song was written to honor St. Cecilia, and I’m not entirely sure she would have felt honored. Or maybe I’m thinking of the wrong song. In any event, a most imposing cathedral! Hard to believe it was started with frugal intentions!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It is a grand place with smooth outer walls deliberately so to prevent them from being breached or climbed. True indeed not only a church but a fortress church.
      I am glad the second photo of the door helped,
      Aparently Paul Simon himself stated that the song was about the challenges of writing music and his call to St. Cecila for aid whilst he outlined his woes in the song about songwriting.

      Liked by 1 person

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