Louisa Andrusko-Blog 14-Student's Choice-4/17/11

About a year ago, I travelled to Bruges, Belgium on a short study abroad trip with CNU. Like most European countries, religion plays a huge impact on many aspects of its culture, especially its architecture. One of the highlights of the trip for me was when we visited the Basilica of the Holy Blood. A small chapel built during the 12th century, the church allegedly holds a relic of Christ’s Blood collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. On a piece of cloth, the dried blood has been rumored to return to liquid form several times before drying up again. Entering the Basilica of the Holy Blood was definitely one of the most profound religious experiences of my life. Unlike the Vatican and other cathedrals, this chapel is one of the best kept secrets in the religious world. When I first heard about this chapel while preparing for my trip, I became quickly overwhelmed by the idea that I could potentially see some of Christ’s blood. When I told my parents, also practicing Christians, I was disappointed by their lack of enthusiasm. For me, this was something that should be accepted as Holy and miraculous. Arriving at the chapel, I was in awe of not only the architecture, but the amount of respect for the vile. There was a line of about fifty people in the cramped church, all waiting patiently for their turn. When it was my turn, I was intimated by the amount of lights and eyes on me as I held the vile. At first, I forgot to actually look down as I was taken aback by everything happening around me. Once I actually looked down, I saw the cloth and what looked like dry blood. In that moment, I was definitely feeling the mysterium that Otto describes in his Idea of the Holy. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was holding, but I knew it was something Holy and widely cherished. That’s when I realized that it didn’t matter if I actually believed that it was Christ’s blood or not, all that mattered was that I believed in Christ. Realizing that, I was overcome with a feeling of power and sacredness. It’s definitely a feeling you can’t explain to someone because they need to experience it for themselves. I definitely feel the chapel provided a sacred environment for all those who entered.