The Bitter Truth

59

Peering obliquely across the towering gilded altar to the far end of the south transept, Jessica immediately recognized the four large statues of Moses, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and King David flanking the wall. The Sanctuary is the heart of the Westminster Abbey, where the High Altar was located.

Looking up, and to her right, she contemplated the collage with an awe in her face. Her mesmerizing green eyes gleamed brightly from the reflection of the gold panels behind the altar. There was a mosaic of the Last Supper by Antonio Salviati with an inscription along the top that read:

The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.

"The architectural structure of this great gothic Abbey is designed to draw your eyes upwards." The Dean broke their silence while surveying Jessica's amazement. "It's a form of contemplation of God's perfect order. The Cosmati Pavement however, draws your eyes down, and it gives you a complementary image."

Richard and Jessica kept an eye at the Dean as he approached the front of the High Altar.

"This is the wonderful idea taken from a human imagination about God's creation!" His eyes shined brightly with a conspiratorial gleam.

Richard moved closer to the Dean.

The Dean bent his knees and did the sign of the Cross before stepping on the High Altar. Then, he turned towards Richard and opened his arms wide open.

"I met your Mother here!" The Dean spun on his heels. "She was wearing a long winter coat with its collar up. She identified herself as someone who worked for the London Police, as a Detective. I noticed that she kept writing something in a note pad."

"What did she write? Do you know?" Richard rubbed his chin. "What kind of questions was she asking you?"

"She mentioned that this was a research paper she was producing, to send it to the Prime Minister."

A research paper? Jessica furrowed her brows in alertness as she came up to Richard. "A research paper on what? The Cosmati floor?"

"Pavement, not floor." The Dean corrected her. "She never went into detail with me. So I don't know. I am sorry."

Richard wasn't aware of any research paper. He took his eyes away from the Cosmati Pavement and viewed the decorations on the High Altar.

All this is real gold!

"When these paintings were first created, they were colored with bright colors. It is hard to tell the colors now because pigments have faded in the light. Vegetable dyes were more delicate back then and they were not as bright. These fading could also be damages caused by visitors." The Dean pointed to the Cosmati Pavement, "This section of the Abbey was hidden underneath a carpet for centuries."

The Dean moved up to the center of the Cosmati Pavement.

"When the Abbey was built, it was all brightly painted. Over the years, Christian ideas changed and churches tended not to be so colorful."

Jessica wondered why Christians thought that Churches should not be painted in bright colors.

Consider such idea as how distracting it would be?

If I already feel distracted by people's tablets, and smartphones during preaching, imagine sitting around this?

Jessica considered so disrespectful those people that appear to be using their smartphones and tablets for the Bible Application, but instead they are in social medias during preaching!

"The Cosmati Pavement." The Dean licked his lips, as he felt his heart beat changing pace. For some odd reason he always felt enthusiastic when he had to lecture about the Cosmati Pavement at the Westminster Abbey. "It is a decorative geometric Medieval Mosaic Pavement. Extremely unusual in England during the time that it was laid down. When this Pavement was new, it would have blazed with colors! The materials were chosen for their brilliance and shine, and the quality of the craftsmanship is absolutely stunning!"