The scaffold has come down....

On different sides of the Atlantic over the last number of weeks, two large restoration projects have come to an end - the restorations and renovation of La Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and St Patrick's Cathedral in New York city. Below are two reports of these restorations of these magnificent places of worship.

From Aleteia -

After eight years of restoration, the Sainte-Chapelle (translated as “Holy Chapel” in English) is finally free of scaffolding.

Nestled in the Conciergerie, the Paris Courthouse located on the island of the City, the chapel one could easily miss this architectural gem, the height of which rivals most slender cathedrals.

Sainte-Chapelle features over 750 m² of stained glass dating from the thirteenth century, grouping 1,113 scenes from the Old Testament. The restoration of the windows costs more than 9 million euros, and the result is spectacular.

The royal medieval chapel is considered a masterpiece of High Gothic architecture. Built between 1242 and 1248 it was commissioned by King Louis IX of France to house relics of Christ’s Passion, including the wood of the True Cross and the nails of the Passion and the Crown of Thorns.

Just as it did in the time of Saint Louis, this sacred structure will dazzle any visitor in its restored magnificence.

 



There’s nothing like a papal visit to strike the fear of God into a slow-moving construction crew.

Jeffrey Murphy, who headed the heavenly makeover of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, admitted Wednesday they picked up the pace of the three-year remodeling project after they got wind that Pope Francis was coming to New York City.

“Everyone knew that this guy was showing up and we wanted it to look great,” the architect said. “With the papal visit in a few weeks, we really targeted it for completing most of the work.”

Murphy’s acknowledgement came during a tour of the 137-year-old Midtown landmark, and with the Pope’s arrival two weeks away.


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