18 Ss Peter and Paul, San Francisco

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150 Paris 11th arrondissement : Saint Ambroise – dinky stations of the cross

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  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.
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50. Montreal, Basilica of Notre Dame. Coolest Gothic revival pulpit

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  Montreal, Basilica of Notre Dame. Coolest Gothic revival pulpit   The wikipedia article says that the interior of the church is « one of the most dramatic in the world », and dead Gothic. Gets eleven million visitors a year, and last year I was one of them. My favourite ever pulpit. If you’re gonna preach   Good News About Eternal Life, you might as well do it perched on some decent furniture.   The stained glass windows here don’t bother with Bible stories, but depict scenes from the history of Montreal.   The other major highlight is the extra chapel behind the altar  through a corridor, which is has a modern bronze altar piece which is totally stunning. It represents humanity’s journey towards God, passing through childhood, adulthood and old age. In this chapel, the Stations of the Cross are well worth a look.   Information in French Information in English Information in Armenian  
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152 Bastia, Corsica, Church of the Immaculate Conception – most protestants ain’t having it.

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This chapel in Bastia, Corsica, is named for the Immaculate Conception. Not to be confused with the virgin birth, the immaculate conception is the idea that the mother of Jesus, since she was to give birth to God, had to be one hell of a lot more virtuous than the rest of us, and so must have been born, unlike every other bugger, without the stain of original sin, inherited from Adam and Eve. This idea was debated for a thousand years or more before being officially approved and   validtaed by the Pope in the mid nineteenth century. Most protestants ain’t having it. The church, built in the sixteenth century, has a great pulpit with hidden staircase, and a lovely gilded baroque ceiling. On the notice board is an advert for the Immaculate Conception gang (or confrerie), which was founded in 1590.
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