Limelight: Secrets of the Abbey By Lubna Abdel-Aziz It is often said, that walls have ears! If they do, what secrets lie behind the vast Gothic walls of ? For over 10 centuries, this iconic building has witnessed a unique pageant of British history. Tomorrow, April 29 2011, it shall once again receive the royal family, and stand as witness to another memorable royal event, the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Among the estimated 2 billion who will watch the ceremony, some will view the pomp and circumstance of a British tradition for the first time. The breath-taking magnificence of is part of this rich and resplendent tradition. Did the walls of the Abbey weep with the rest of the world, at the tragic loss of the beautiful princess Diana, mother of the groom? Will they welcome her spirit back among its walls, to witness her son's happy day? Will she smile when she sees her ring on the finger of his beautiful bride? What can the Abbey walls tell us? Britain owes this marvelous structure to one man, Edward the Confessor, (1042-1066). Edward had a vision of ah ecclesiastic royal complex, including a palace, with a large monastery, and an abbey church, suitable for royal functions and burials. Edward had lost his throne, and had made a vow, that if he regained it, he would make a pilgrimage to Rome. Plagued by guilt, over a broken vow, Edward appealed to Pope Leo, who excused him on condition he would re-endow the monastery at Westminster. The work started immediately in December, 1065, at the monastery founded in 960.Eight days later, Edward was dead. His successor, Harold Godwineson was at the Abbey and most probably was crowned there, but the first historic evidence of a royal coronation was that of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, in 1066. That is a date, the Abbey walls can never forget. Why is this, most impressive, world-famous building, not identified a cathedral? It certainly stands as a religious structure of extreme grandeur and majestic stature as do other cathedrals. It is ornately decorated with art treasures, paintings and stained glass, and shaped as a Latin cross as are most cathedrals. . 'Cathedral' ( Gk. Kathedra=Seat), signifies the seat of a bishop, headquarters of a diocese. It did become the seat of a bishop in 1539, and became Westminster Cathedral. But since it was only one bishop who served there, it reverted to being an Abbey, headed by a Dean, since the time of Elisabeth I. Somehow, the Gothic walls are happier with this nomenclature. There are many t Cathedrals of great beauty throughout Europe. France is home of some of the most magnificent ones including those in Chartres, Reims, Strasbourg. Germany boasts of the Cologne Cathedral, and Italy of the Milan Cathedral. Spain's Seville Cathedral is the largest in the world , but the Abbey at Westminster is proudly unique, and is one of the most popular monuments in the whole of Europe, if not the world. is not even its name. The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, is its proper title, but its walls prefer the Abbey, and so do we. As we see it today, it is largely due to Henry III, (1216-1272). He diverted money from the kingdom to building plans at Westminster. He rebuilt the centre church in the new Gothic style--a homage to his idol, Edward the Confessor.. At his death, the work halted for a century, but the walls smiled at the completed Chapel of the Holy Lady, an amazingly elaborate exercise in fan vaulting, like a network of lace, almost too pretty. It marked the end of the Medieval style of building. The walls sigh as they ponder what happens when you reach the summit of any form? You change! Medieval architects believed extreme grandeur, would inspire greater faith. It is this extreme grandeur that will compel 2 billion of the world's population to focus their sight on the royal wedding at . The Abbey is used to crowds. Its walls are used to keeping their secrets. With 38 royal coronations, 15 royal weddings and endless funerals, the Abbey has many other functions for the common Brit. It holds concerts, lectures, special services and educational offerings as well as many other events. Millions of tourists visit the Abbey lingering here and there, allowing their eyes to take in the intricate magnificence at every corner. So many hundreds of dignitaries buried there, a favourite spot is the Poet's Corner where you can almost hear their rhymes echoed by the sumptuous walls. The Bard himself, though buried at Stratford-Upon-Avon, has a white marble statue erected in Poet's Corner,124 years after his death in 1616, by public esteem. The world shall witness only the 16th royal wedding at the Abbey, but they shall also behold a grandeur of style, a grace of form and a majesty of structure that has no equal. The days of such noble opulence in church building are long past. The elaborate Gothic and Rococo styles have been abandoned in favour of a clean and functional form often bland and uninspiring. Today's aesthetic styles collide with the concept of beauty, of art, literature, poetry, music and romance. I know many will vehemently disagree, quoting the necessity of change with the times, but I know of billions who will marvel, as they gaze on glimpses of past glory, at . Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasure. -- Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
