Reflecting the Divine: Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, France

April 5th, 2021

Awake Goy

The sun’s rays entering the nearly 27,000 square feet of stained glass windows of Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral create thousands of colored shards that bathe the interior in ethereal beauty. But beyond this earthly splendor, every one of the more than 175 glorious stained glass windows inspire and encourage worshipers to venerate the Virgin Mary and look up to God.

Located just 50 miles from Paris, Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, “is one of the most authentic and complete works of religious architecture of the early 13th century,” according to the UNESCO website.

A church has been on the current site since around the fourth century, after which at least five churches have been built due to war or fire. In 1194, fire devastated most of the early Gothic cathedral that had been built in 1145. But the crypt and west façade remained intact.

An important relic, once owned by Charlemagne, also survived the fire: the Sancta Camisia (Latin for “holy tunic”), the silk undergarment that many believe Mary wore when she gave birth to Jesus. Charlemagne’s grandson Charles the Bald presented the relic to Chartres in 876. Roman Catholics felt that the unscathed relic was a sign of encouragement for them to build an even more beautiful cathedral to venerate the Virgin Mary.

Today, the High Gothic style of architecture that dominates the cathedral is the result of 26 years of rebuilding it after the 1194 fire. Highlights of the High Gothic style include elaborate sculptural reliefs, high vaulted ceilings, vast amounts of stained glass, and flying buttresses, which are exterior stone reinforcements necessary for bearing the immense stained glass windows’ incredible weight.