Beautiful Churches: Why Did They Care So Much?

By: Brennan Garriques

Photo: Emily Felsheim

“Why did they care so much?” As our group of pilgrims stood in awe and wonder within the Cathedral of Siena, Italy, this question was posed. It was one that immediately captured my attention and one which I repeated to myself at least 50 times over the course of the rest of the day. Below is the fruit of my pondering.

Throughout all of human history and across continents and cultures, art has had a primacy of place. Relics of beautiful artwork and craftsmanship can be found in the ruins of every civilization. Now of course I am biased, but it seems to be true that while the Catholic Church has not had a monopoly on beautiful handiwork, her members have set the standard and revealed the heights of human potential. If you've had the cultural and historical exposure, then I think you too would propose, or at least acknowledge, that many of the world’s most intricate, skillful, impressive, and beautiful artistic feats are Christian. 

They were commissioned by the Church for the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls, and undertaken by her faithful artists who longed for the opportunity to give expression to the impression God had left on their hearts. And is this not what every artist wants? A line from the 1987 Oscar winner for best foreign film, Babette’s Feast, captures the essence of what I mean. The titular character insists with passion that "through all the world there goes one long cry from the heart of the artist: Give me leave to do my utmost." 

Wow! This is my favorite line from the movie and it’s a declaration such as this that begins to answer our opening question. Why did they care so much? Why did these great craftsmen care so deeply about making their churches so beautiful? Especially given most of them never lived to see their completion. I think one way to answer this question is to simply say they had nothing better to do. Not, of course, in the sense that they had to settle for working on these projects because they were “bored.” Rather, they had nothing better to do because there was, is, and never will be anything better to do than give our utmost for His highest. I have to believe that for those charged with the construction of the Cathedral in Siena, this was their mission.

As I stood in that church, my heart burned within me and a wave of gratitude washed over me. My eyes, my mind, and my soul couldn't help but be taken upward. My entire being joined in on the chorus: GIVE ME LEAVE TO DO MY UTMOST! Some of the most celebrated names in art history, such as Donatello, Bernini, and Michelangelo gave their utmost to this exquisite construction. They gave a piece of themselves, and some even gave their whole lives, so mine may be enriched 800 years later. And not only them, but all the people in Siena who contributed mind boggling amounts of wealth to achieve this masterpiece. I feel deeply indebted to my ancestors who cherished the value and the gift of beauty and excellence. 

Now I know not all of us are artists and almost none of us have a capacity the likes of Donatello, Bernini, or Michelangelo, but this does not mean we have no mission at all. Our pursuit of excellence and our dedication to give our utmost for His highest is not required to come through sculpting, painting, or architecture. Nor does it have to be “for the Church” in the explicit sense. I only hope that when any one of us encounters something beautiful accomplished by the work of human hands, such as the Siena Cathedral, that it would be a witness and an invitation to greatness in whatever we do. As Paul says in Colossians, “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” 

When we give our utmost, no matter the field or line of work, simply to our responsibility in the present moment, we contribute to the revitalization of culture, beauty, and personal dignity. May we each take our role seriously then, always striving to give our utmost for His highest. Let us live such that in 800 years, the people of that day can look back to our time and say of us: “why did they care so much?”