Photo Essay: Lumen Christi

Somehow, the day I chose to visit the Cathedral was gloomy and overcast. Bay Area temperatures had plummeted about 30 degrees, and a frigid breeze breathed off Lake Merrit as I walked from the 19th Street BART station. But the fog and inclement weather did not detract from my experience at this sacred place.

The exterior of the Cathedral, which opened its finely crafted doors in September 2008, resembles a papal cap rendered in steel and glass. Upon entering the church, one is confronted with a granite baptismal pool, reminding the visitor/ worshipper that entry into the Catholic Church is through the sacrament of Baptism. Above the baptistery, the alpha window recalls the moment when God said, "Let there be light".

The nave is encased in a Noah's ark of curved wooden beams, rising 110 feet in height, parting at their peak to reveal an oculus. Light streaming in connects the brethren with the heavens, who are encouraged to lift their souls in prayer.

The jaw dropping piece-de-resistance is the Omega window, forming a 58 foot image of Christ (a facsimile of the transept of the Chartes Cathedral in France). I watched as each visitor walked up the aisle and then, on encountering this almost holographic image, stopped in awe and wonderment. The light today was soft and diffuse. I wonder how this must appear with the afternoon sun streaming through the 94 000 holes, and suspect it takes on the character of a brilliant crystal. This larger than life image of Christ was apparitional, and recalled the Transfiguration.

Painted calming blue, the confessionals are open spaces featuring skylights that bathe the faithful and the priest in a cleansing effulgence. The mood is one of transparency and honesty, unlike the traditional screened anonymity of the confessional closet.

Furthering this trend, the Cathedral has dedicated a Healing Garden to the victims of clergy sexual abuse. Sitting on one of the curved benches, I felt embraced but not smothered. A broken rock sculpture (Some Day, II) in its center symbolized, for this writer, a broken clergy and the promise of healing.

The Cathedral of Christ the Light is an uncommon architectural feat - it succeeds in staying true to ages old Catholic theology, while interpreting it in an utterly modern manner. True to its name, light pervades this church and transforms it into an ethereal place of worship.This is a church that speaks to my generation and aesthetic.

It is a space that I would choose to worship in, and one that would inspire me to do so.