Catholic Church Conservation blog provides pictures of a church in Graz, Austria, with bizarre “art” installations. The title of this post refers to the Good Friday display of a 3-D projection of a picture of a skull on a massive screen in the sanctuary (complete with 3-D glasses for the congregation). Also take a close look at the ... thing ... hanging over the sanctuary (it’s most visible in the second photo). Is that the Masonic all-seeing eye?
What’s going on in Austria? It seems that there’s more liturgical wackiness per square mile in Austria than any place else, including Los Angeles.
The “masonic” eye is really a misapproriation of Catholic art that pre-dates the enlightenment. I’ve seen numerous Catholic churches with it. In fact.
It’s called the “eye of God” for a reason.
…. I forgot to add. That ‘Catholic church’ in Austria is bizarre and inappropriate, in particular, the skull.
Ummmmnnnnhhhh….
You do recall that there is a serious homosexual-priest and -Bishop issue in Austria.
Seems that wacky liturgy coincides with this phenomenon.
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/sep/05090904.html
From the LifeSite article titled “Disgraced Homosexual Abuser to Give Lecture on Marriage Annulments to Canadian Canon Law Society”:
Sylvia McEachern is an Ottawa Catholic woman who has kept a close eye on such institutions. She told the Wanderer newspaper in 2002 that Canada has an inordinate number of problem priests in the classes of canon lawyers and liturgists 005-09-16 12:46:05
2005-09-16 16:46:05
Especially peculiar in light of the fact that the crucifix was nowhere to be seen and the priest was facing the skull and kneeling.
Given the masonic eye and the skull, the black and white paving is disturbing as well considering that all Masonic blue lodges are supposed to have black and white paving when the lodge is convened.
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefsskullbones.htm
From the website:
The skull and crossbones is also an important emblem in Masonry, where it symbolizes the transience of the material world, and is used in initiation rituals as a symbol of rebirth. It may also symbolize the sephirah daath on the kabbalistic Tree of Life, the gateway to the higher realms of understanding only achievable through spiritual death and rebirth.
There is also a description of the symbolism of the scull and crossbones for the Templars at the above link.
Hi Carrie,
Perhaps someone should relay your information on the symbolism of hte skull to Pope Benedict, St. Dominic, St. Francis Xavier.
I am not convinced that the above three were particularly interested in the occult, sephirah daaath or the kabbalistic Tree of life, rather they all showed and have shown particular interest in the Roman Catholic Liturgy.
JBP