Day Eighteen – St. Nicholas Church
Flickering candle light reflects against the altar of the church as a haunting hymn is sung by a performer in the middle of the aisle. The minor key of the song sounded like something off of a horror movie soundtrack, filling you with a sense of foreboding – or maybe only those not sold on religion.
Trepidatiously walking through the church, the song rung through the church as visitors flowed towards the middle of the church to tie strings ascending towards heaven and then towards the prayer candles distributed at the front of the church.
Understandably, the Czech Republic is wary of organized religion, and this reluctance means that many churches across the country remain closed or only partially opened and sparsely used.
For one night a year, the entire Czech Republic opens every church across the country, filling the arched ceilings with light, performances from choirs and local musicians, and allows everyone to come and enjoy the buildings.
Some visitors took their time lighting these candles, assessing and picking through the area in search of a spot, watching the fire as it eats through the wick, lips moving through a silent dictum before leaving. Others placed the candles and walked away almost immediately, and some simply stood back and watched.
The wonderful thing about this night is that regardless of your beliefs, churches are beautiful to visit. Especially in Europe where the history of the land is so integrated with the church, these buildings are some of the most well-preserved buildings and ornate places to visit. Stained glass lit up by the afternoon sun is one of the prettiest sights to be seen, and the vaulted ceilings with the intricate carvings along walls, that’s a spiritual experience in and of itself.
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