Are you ready for this?

Guess what I've got for you today??  You'll never believe it, but yes, it's another church!  The l'église Saint-Séverin.  This church shows up on the walk entitled "Playing Hooky in the Latin Quarter," and I confess to a certain level of church fatigue, and I'm sure it's 10 times worse for anyone trying to follow this blog. I walked in the building and decide to ask myself, what in the world is so important about seeing all these religious spaces?  It's true they all look different, but really they look so much the same.  I don't have a degree in architecture and I can't remember the details of cathedral history from Ms. Hughes class like I should (which actually has been really frustrating this week), so what can a take away from this forced (by the professors) entry?  So after a quick look at the organ, because it was so beautiful, I will tell you what I thought.

The organ. So ornate!  Doesn't it just make you want to listen to some Bach?

My thoughts as I walked around.  First, I began to look at the sculptures more carefully, and I was compelled to ponder the fact that these churches are stuffed with physical reminders of the hundreds of people who, like Mother Theresa in our day, devoted their lives to helping the poor, the lonely, the disenfranchised, and the abandoned.  This is a smallish statue tucked in a corner of this church, you can't see his face because of the shadow, but it has a very sweet smile on it, like someone who truly is kind. So not only should I be impressed with this noble history, but maybe I should contemplate how well I do at following in their footsteps. 

I just really liked this painting.  It was hanging up high in one of the small side chapels, but it's so dramatic and moving to me.  Look at how most of the disciples aren't even paying attention.  What does that mean?

Thought #2:  Gothic Pop Culture

The middle section of this cathedral offers a ring of religious icons, aka the Saints.  I have to admit that I have a tendency to kind of roll my eyes at the obsession the Catholic church has with saints, and  I've always understood that this was probably narrow minded and self-righteous of me.  Today I repented.  As I looked at this overwhelming display of these men and women I was struck with the thought that this was certainly a form of Gothic Pop Culture, and by that I mean, this is who people looked to as hero's and examples, and you know, they could have done worse.  They could have been like us.  Seldom do any of todays cultural figures offer us so much by way of virtue and morality.  And there's something to be said for that. 

So, the walk continues.  Take a look at the oldest café in Paris, opened in 1686, The Café Procope has hosted the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Marat and non other then Benjamin Franklin.  They figure the world was changed from this little corner.

These next three pictures just give us a visual for the the centers for education that we hear about every time we hear of people in the 18th and 19th Century traveling to Paris to study.

This is the Medical Academy-I think this is the medical school David McCullough talks about in his new book.

The Academy of Art where Renoir, Monet, Delacroix etc studied

This area of town is loaded  with little art galleries.

And last but not least, the Acadamie of Français.  40 men sit on a board, it's a life time appointment, and they are in charge of controlling French grammar!!!  Really!!

So there you have it, the Latin Quarter!!