chapter 300

Immaculate Conception

12/12/2012

and a hearty Catholic reception

Sis came out for a visit on the holidays and it became a real religious experience. Call me a conspiracy theorist but I'm starting to think there is some connection between the church and all this Christmas stuff. I went into this second oldest catholic church in NY Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception  (St. Pats NYC= 1st). They were ringing the bells for the first time since 150 years ago. The bell guy chased me down later as I was leaving and wanted me to help out??? Sis will verify this, it's not bull.

Anyway you can see she and Christie were very hesitant and reluctant to come over and enter. Don't know why everyone is so timid. You just do things until you are are thrown in jail, so what.

 Sis thinks I have no religious bona fides but without a doubt the most impressive building I have ever been in in my life was the Basilica,  St. Peters Cathedral in the Vatican City Rome. That is where I touched the foot of St. Peter . Surprisingly the guide allowed and encouraged all to do so, some kissed it and you could feel the foot was worn down from the centuries of people doing so. Jesus had been recently attacked with a hammer Pietà (Michelangelo) and was behind bullet proof glass at the time in one of the top 10 art accidents of all time.

 Getting back to Albany, I took photographic evidence which supports the da Vinci Code Conspiracy. In the first stained glass panel at the far back corner of the church almost in hiding, there it was. The Matthew 26:7 story of Jesus wife-to-be Mary anointing his head with perfume from an alabaster vial, kissing and washing his feet and drying them with her hair.

 I was up front snapping pics near the pulpit where Bishop Howard Hubbard has given sermons when I came across these scary gargoyles where I guess the choir sits. Think those are meant to scare the bejesus out of sinners. Met him 40 years ago when he presided over some airline friends wedding.

 This one was for sale at the nearby Silver Fox Salvage company. The girls opted for some crystal jewelry instead.

  I did find gold at the church too, but it was bolted down.

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