Westminster Abbey

What most amazed me about Westminster Abbey is the way in which it draws together so many aspects of English culture. As a church, it is of course a major religious center. Many beautiful religious objects (chalices, altars, etc.) as well as wall carvings and stained glass windows testify to the religious value of Westminster Abbey. This church also plays a major role in affairs of state. Monarchs hold their coronations at Westminster Abbey. Tombs of English rulers including Elizabeth I and Henry III can be found in the church. Aside from the royalty, many prominent English people and families are entombed in Westminster Abbey. Because Westminster Abbey is the resting place of rulers and social notables, this one place links religion with state. There is also another dimension to these cultural links. The Poet’s Corner houses the tombs of such notable artistic figures as Lord Byron and Geoffrey Chaucer. English society must place a high value on artistic talent to place the tombs of these important literary figures in the same place as monarchs. Westminster Abbey is so unique because politics and diplomacy, religion, and the arts are all represented inside a beautiful and historical building.

During our visit to Westminster Abbey, the priests opened up the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor and invited visitors to sit in the shrine and pray. I took advantage of this opportunity and gained a sense of the importance of tradition to the church. The prayer was very structured and had some traditional aspects as the visitors responded to the priest with certain words and the priest asked for the intercession of St. Edward the Confessor. Being in his shrine was a constant reminder of the monarchical tradition in England as well. As I thought about being in the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor I had to think of all the monarchs who followed him. These traditional aspects as well as the fusion of various elements of English culture made visiting Westminster Abbey a unique and exciting experience.