Compare and contrast the sacred spaces at both Dyersville and New Melleray. If you had to give a your of both spaces to someone who was not Christian, how would you explain that both are Christian? If that person asked you which space you preferred, what would you answer and why?
The basilica in Dyersville and the monastery in New Melleray had many similarities and differences. The similarities, which also make it Christian, include they both have the tabernacle. It is very important for a Christian church to have a tabernacle because this is where the bread that has been blessed is stored. Christian churches also have an alter, which is raised higher up by a few feet, given it more importance and being closer to heaven. Christian churches have a cross somewhere within the church. Christian churches use the Holy Bible, the Holy Bible that the Christians use the Old Testaments and the New Testaments can be found. If the Bible contains the Old and New Testaments it makes it a Christian Bible because only Christians use both Testaments.
The difference between the basilica and the monastery is pretty simple. In the monastery you could tell that they like things to be very simple, noncomplex. While in the basilica the decoration is intense, very complex. In the monastery they do not have any stain glasses and statutes. The monastery is allowed to have only portrait of the Blessed Mother holding the child. In the basilica there are many pictures, statues and stain glasses and these portraits can be on really anyone who is involved with the church. In the basilica that we visited the Rector was painted into one of the paints on the ceiling. That would never be found in monastery. There many differences between the basilica and the monastery, but it all comes down to the monastery likes things to be simpler then the basilica.
If I had to choose between the two places I visited I would choose the basilica. Even though it’s decorated very elaborate. I personally would love to go visit the basilica again, because there is so much more there to see. I’m a very visually person and love to see the detail work that is put into the creation of such a beautiful place. In that particularly basilica anyone could tell that there is so much history behind it. I love to read about history, so when there are stories about how certain places get chosen it usually gets my attention rather quickly. Not only did our tour guide give us information about the basilica, but he also added things about other basilicas. Our tour guides stories may have been a bit winded, but he typically get to the point eventually.
My experiences today were amazing and I can’t wait to go to the next place!
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