History and Writing

Every great building has a story and provides us with a tangible connection to events of the past. Along with the more artistic side of architecture appreciation, research saints and historical figures who are associated with each of the buildings and how their connection came about. Create a page about one of these stories for each building studied.

Pope Benedict XVI wrote:

“That we pray in the same churches in which our predecessors have been bringing their petitions and hopes before God over the centuries is not irrelevant. In St. Ludger’s Church in Munster it has always moved me deeply to know that this was the place where Edith Stein struggled with her vocation. And this is just a tiny excerpt from the history of faith and prayer and the history of sinners and saints preserved in our great old churches. They are also an expression of the identity of faith throughout history, an expression of the faithfulness of God which reveals itself in the unity of the Church.”

Writing/composition assignments can be designed to coordinate with these studies. Fictional narratives would also be appropriate.

Dig Deeper… Research the Church’s definitions of “major basilica”, “minor basilica”, “patriarchal basilica” and ”cathedral”. Explain each designation in detail.