Morning came, and we made our way up to the impressive sight that is Chartres Cathedral. It is quite simply, exquisite, the only complete surviving Medieval Cathedral, not only structurally, but crucially, in its iconography. There is a breathtaking amount of Stained Glass windows and sculptures surviving that are ultimately an encyclopaedia of the life and spiritual times of a distant age. The incredible, vast open spaces inside were only possible with the advent of the “Flying Buttresses” that were designed to channel the incredible weight of the stone vaulted ceilings outside and downwards. One looks up and cannot help but be open-mouthed in wonder at the architectural genius of this lost era. It may not bring this agnostic closer to God, but it humbles him in front of his predecessors. It is small wonder that the faithful and the obsessive, not to mention the devout and ignorant, could believe without question that this was God’s house.
It was most interesting to see the “Sun clock” on the outside of the cathedral. There is a great deal of sun imagery in the Catholic church, just look at all the halos, generally depicted as a golden disc. The Catholic faith is descended from The Cult of Amen-Ra, the Egyptian sun-god worshipping faith. However, this subversion of faiths is not uncommon. The Romans did it in England, cleverly coinciding their religious festivals with the locals. If you want to take over a country, just make sure the locals don’t suffer a break in their routine, and you’re sorted! How convenient that Jesus rose at Easter, the Spring equinox. This is why all organised religion is a lie, and a tool to subjugate the masses.
But our chief reason for being here was the Labyrinth. In the book, Ms. Mosse tells of a stone one being carved into the floor of the Cathedral, so big it can hardly be seen. (Labyrinths were popular as symbols throughout France in various designs, and can be found as far away as Rouen and Reims) Alas, after some time wandering we had failed to locate it. Then, suddenly, I spied a collection “font” with an etched crystal labyrinth on the top. I called Miki over excitedly…”It’s a bit small” she said, with characteristic understatement.
We went into the bookshop within the Cathedral. (A good Catholic needs a healthy turnover….or is it the faithful who are being “turned over”?) As we perused a layout of the cathedral…there it was! We ran out into the main body of the church, and there, on the floor, under around 50 chairs, we could make out the vast, curving geometry of this beautiful symbol. Legend has it that pilgrims would shuffle round it on their knees as an act of faith or penance (an act of stupidity more like) and in the centre, there used to rest a brass plaque which was ripped up during the Napoleonic wars, though the studs that held it still remain. Quietly stunned at the beauty and magnificence of this testament to man’s ingenuity, rather than his faith in God, in this humble writers opinion, and overjoyed to have found the Labyrinth, we left Chartres, and headed for the Coast.
Text by Kev Moore
Drawing & Photos by Miki
Both on Planet Goodaboom
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