95/365: Churches: Magnificently Featured By A Fine Lady from Norway

5th of April

They say that “buena-mano” is always the luck bringer and I believed so specially when I saw this email on my inbox.  I can’t contain my happiness while reading this email sent by one fine lady from Norway.

I can’t remember when Joy and I started following each other in the blogosphere.  But what I am  certain about is that there are three things that I admire most from this lady when I’m visiting her blogs.  Her inspirational features, her photography, and her crafts which she shares through her two wonderful blog sites Joy's Notepad and Will You Hear From Me. .

And mind you she does all of this in between having a regular job, a wife to loving husband and a mother to grown kids. Seems like we came from the same league of Super Women eh? (grin).

C’mon and get drowned with me as we feast in the beauty of Joy’s feature about churches!  Gasp! 

~~**~~

Balut, a sweet woman behind the blog Balut Manila invited co -bloggers to make a post about churches in different places from bloggers who would want to participate. I mean to be write a guest post on her blog.

Well, it was really quite a challenge, but also an exciting post because  I am a church lover.

Anyways, since I am in Norway, I want to show first the church who is nearest to my place. This is a not a Catholic church, but more on Protestant church way of preaching. I really go seldom here because I am a member of a free church which we called here : 

Fosen Kristne Senter ( Fosen Christian church)



So let us move to another church. This church is one hour drive from our place. I just took picture of the church when we drove by one day.



This church is in Kragerø which I took a picture when I was invited to the  baptism of one of my sister's grandson.



A church in Trondheim city when I was invited to the confirmation of my cousin's son.



Following are churches in Stavanger city where my younger sister lives here in Norway and one of her daughter too.







But the best church I visited was Familia Sagrada in Barcelona.

It was really my husband who was very interested to see this place. I was really surprised because he was not fond of visiting churches.  Well, I hope I contaminated him of being a believer:)



The Sagrada Familia is still under construction. Building work begun in the late 19th century and is now funded by churchgoers and devotees, and through ticket revenue from visitors or the tourists. It was Antoni Gaudi's dream, an  architect, to which he devoted much of his life. At the time of his death in 1926, only one of the towers had been completed. The continuation of  Gaudi's project has become unmistakable symbol of Barcelona.

Come along and see this magnificent place with me.

The entrance



This is the front facade who is decorated with statues of Jesus and the saints. It tells the  story of Jesus life. One can really tell or feel that here is a holy ground.





Inside the church is decorated with colorful glass windows. It was meant to make the visitors feel the beauty of nature inside the church.



This is the altar. They held mass many times a day. Open for everybody who wants to participate.



The ceilings 



It is really fascinating. 



This is the back of the church. The walls are decorated with curved figures of the saints like in the front facade. As if one is reading bible stories upon looking at the pictures. 







Anyway, we wanted to visit the tower too. So we took the elevator up to 50 meters . We had to pay extra for that. As you can see, we are now on top. 



It was scary to look down.





The only  negative thing was that we had to go down these stairs after leaving the tower. Since the passage was so narrow, we couldn't go back because there were people behind us. 

And the nightmare begun. My knees were shaking and I believe my husband too because he was not really happy going downstairs. He was afraid that the construction wouldn't hold. 



But, anyway, we survived and ended in this museum where they shows the small models of the church constructions.





The museum was huge and there were  lot of pictures, models and relics in there. But I believed I have to end this post before you get bored. 

Anyway, me and my hubby agreed that we will not visit another church or museum that day. We just wanted to breathe some fresh air. Our knees were still shaking after the visit from the tower. Well, what could we expect? We are getting older....



Leaving you this thought:

Although there are thousands of magnificent churches all over the world, but keep it in mind that we are God's temple and therefor a church  that should bring life and haven to all the people that  God sends into our lives.



JOY