150 Churches in Paris and elsewhere

  I was so excited to visit Chicago and learn all about the history of working class struggle with the Haymarket Martyrs and loads of other stuff, but, of course, churches, too. This is the USA so everything looks so new compared with Notre Dame. Holy Name is a Catholic cathedral. You were immediately reminded   you were in the States, with a big TV screen showing rolling holy advertisements in front of the main door,   and a sign on the door telling you to leave your gun outside. There was also a machine inside the cathedral allowing you to validate your parking ticket. Is this like « Ten Hail Mary’s give you an hour’s free parking » ? Beautiful Gothic Revival volumes, a stunning modern lectern (with all the evangelists, made by Eugenio de Courten) , massive bronze doors and fine stained glass. The cathedral was opened in 1875, after a previous   church had been destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 (which was not in fact started   by...

  Built in honour of Saint Ambrose of Milan, fourth century bishop and one of the four great Latin church fathers, who put innovative chanting into churches, and who wrote some hymns which are still regularly used today. The church was consecrated in 1910 (a previous church on the site had been opened in 1818). Its impressive set   of towers is now easier to appreciate since they opened the garden opposite. The entrance porch includes allegorical figures representing theology and eloquence. The church contains dinky stations of the cross, mosaics of a series of saints, and a fine altar canopy, The noticeboard explains how you can learn sewing on Thursday nights.