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| The Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia |
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| The Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia |
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia
is surprisingly small from the outside, but once you descend through
the walkway, you get into the brightest and most spacious church. The
floors and walls are made of white marble, with an expanse of glass
overhead. The altar is surprisingly sparse, white marble decorated with a
plain
Image of Christ on the cross. On 12th September 1958, the Cathedral's cornerstone was laid.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia is an expression of the geniality of the
architect Oscar Niemeyer. In 1960,
the Cathedral's
structure was finished, and only the 70 m diameter of the circular area
and the 16 concrete columns were visible. These columns, having
parabolic section and weighing 90 t, represent two hands moving upwards
to heaven.
The Cathedral was dedicated on the 31st May, 1970. Four
bronze sculptures 3 m high, representing the Evangelists, can be seen at the external square in the entrance of the Temple. These sculptures were made with the help of the sculptor Dante Croce, in 1968. Inside the nave, three
sculptures of angels
are suspended by steel cables. The smallest angel has 2.22 m of length
and weighs 100 kg. The medium one has 3.40 m of length and weighs 200
kg. The big one has 4.25 m of length and 300 kg weighs. The sculptures
were made by
Alfredo Ceschiatti, with the help of
Dante Croce, in 1970. Having an oval form, the Baptistery has its walls covered by a panel of ceramic tiles painted in 1977 by
Athos Bulcão. The local architecture is completed by a bell tower. Its four big bells were donated by
Spain. Inside the crypt, there is a reproduction of the
Shroud of Turin.
The Shroud of Turin is the piece of pure linen cloth that was used to cover the body of
Jesus Christ after his crucifixion and before He was laid in the
Holy Sepulcher. The original one is today at
Turin, Italy (that is why it is known as the
Shroud of Turin). It is 4.36 M in length and 1.10 M in width. On the cloth there are stains of human blood, with the marks of
Jesus of Nazareth's scourging and torment. This cloth is the biggest evidence that Jesus existed indeed and what he suffered.
- Shroud of Turin: The Work of a Renaissance Artist? (history.com)
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