Sunday, March 10, 2013

A long-promised explanation!

I've been using this interesting image for years for our Pause in Lent posts, and I kept promising and explanation of where I snapped the photo - finally, here's the information!

We were in Saint GĂ©nis des Fontaines, which is in the foothills of the Pyrenees near the Med, about four years ago, on an enjoyable camping trip, and Ben and I decided to do a tour of the abbey before taking the boys on to visit the Valley of Tortoises (which is a great place in itself). If you've been on holiday in France, you've probably guessed the rest - we turned up at lunchtime, the place was shut, we looked round the outside while taking some photos and eating sandwiches, and it re-opened at just about the point we were ready to head off and see the tortoises! I'm not complaining - it's good that people respect lunch and break times, it just took us years to learn this habit!

So this photo is of the outside of the abbey. It's the lintel, and is very old and quite well known. You can see some good pictures and read about it in French here. And in more detail, but in Catalan here. What do you mean, you don't read Catalan? ;)

Other than the Catalan question, my question for you is: Do you think this is a good representation of God? Does it work for you? Why or why not? I spent some time wondering if it was the right 'logo' for a Pause in Lent the first time I used it, and now I've got used to it, but I wonder what it 'says' to other people?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

:) I just thought it represented an apostle, or perhaps another man of God in the early church.

How are you doing? Praying things are definitely easing up a bit for you and that you have a blessed week during this sweet season in Lent.

I've posted my latest Pause in Lent at SandwichINK.com - Blessings!

Elderberry-Rob said...

I found this on wikepedia uk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-G%C3%A9nis-des-Fontaines_Abbey, seems very appropriate for Pause in Lent. Sorry I didn't join in this year, am currently on a bump in the road on my journey but still plodding on. Betty x

Angela said...

The piece I read said that the carving represents "Christ in Majesty" - and I sort of imagine Jesus holding up his hand and saying "Whoa there, girl, stop a minute and think about the Important Stuff" which is how I have always interpreted a Pause In Lent. So yeah,it works for me.

As long as the other side of the wall has a carving of Jesus grinning, and saying "see, I said it would all work out OK in the end, if you trusted me!"