Cross Tree

by Jon Burch Photography

Title

Cross Tree

Artist

Jon Burch Photography

Medium

Photograph - Digital Capture And Enhancement

Description

The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA is a former Roman Catholic church that is now used as a museum and wedding chapel. It is known for its unusual helix shaped spiral staircase called the "Miraculous Stair", that may have been created by French carpenter Francois-Jean "Frenchy" Rochas, although the Sisters of Loretto and many other people credit St. Joseph with its construction. The chapel has been the subject of legend and rumor, and the circumstances surrounding its construction and its builder are considered miraculous by the Sisters of Loretto and many visitors.

In 1872 Jean-Baptiste Lamy, the Bishop of the Santa Fe Archdiocese, commissioned the building of a convent chapel to be named Our Lady of Light Chapel, which would be in the care of the Sisters of Loretto. The chapel was designed by French architect Antoine Mouly in the Gothic Revival style, complete with spires, buttresses, and stained glass windows imported from France. Although it was built on a much smaller scale, the chapel bears an obvious resemblance to the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.

The architect died suddenly and it was only after much of the chapel was constructed that the builders realized it was lacking any type of stairway to the choir loft. Due to the chapel's small size, a standard staircase would have been too large. Historians have also noted that earlier churches of the period had ladders rather than stairs to the choir loft, but the Sisters did not feel comfortable with that prospect because of the long habits that they wore.

The legend claims that the mystery had never been satisfactorily solved as to who the carpenter was or where he got his lumber, and that there were no reports of anyone seeing lumber delivered or even seeing the man come and go while the construction was being done. Since he left before the Mother Superior could pay him, the Sisters of Loretto offered a reward for the identity of the man, but it was never claimed.

No longer functioning as a church, the Loretto Chapel is now a museum and wedding location. A highlight for newly married couples is to being photographed while standing on or near the spiral staircase. There is an entrance fee for the chapel as it is now owned by a private company.

Outside the chapel, many people have hung their personal crucifix in the small tree seen in this photograph. The photograph was made near Christmas in 2013 just as it was starting to snow.

Image copyright 2013 Jon Burch Photography

Uploaded

November 3rd, 2013

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Viewed 495 Times  -  Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 04/24/2024 at 9:57 PM

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