For this Wednesday of Holy Week, the Word on Fire blog features several more of Dr. Denis McNamara's meditations on Leonard Porter's Stations of the Cross, featured first on Creative Minority Report. Read the reflections below.
In Station Five, Simon of Cyreneis pressed into service to help Christ carry the cross. Christ has fallen and is beginning to look more spent than in earlier stations. The glory of his garments remains, indicating his divine action, yet his face shows the effort of his labors. The clouds have gathered in dark storminess.
Throughout this station are images of work and helping which echo the very notion of helping Christ carry the Cross. Notably, Simon himself wears the conventional clothing of the peasant worker, including the knife in his belt. In this station the good centurion Longinusreappears on horseback (the “choice of Hercules” apparent on his belt once again), who in an act of charity presses Simon into service...
Today, the Word on Fire Blog features another video from Dr. Denis McNamara, who speaks about the religious significance of architectural structures and hierarchy. Here, he reflects on the well-ordered city of Krakow, Poland.