Description

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Embark on a pilgrimage through the great cathedrals of the world.

Gernot Candolini and Jennifer Brandon invite readers to experience some of the exemplary cathedrals of Europe and North America, with beautiful images and poetic, descriptive texts that inspire and inform. They offer glimpses into the spiritual, visionary, and artistic beauty and mastery of these spaces, inspired by God and built by human hands. 
 
Read the powerful stories connected to these sacred spaces: like the reconciliation crusade of Vezelay, the destruction of Cluny, and the origins of Sagrada Familia. Explore the architectural and artistic elements that make these churches what they are: the power of light, the “smiling stones,” the crypt, the music, and more.

​“Cathedrals magnetize one’s spiritual compass. Places of Light opens the historic portals of twenty cathedrals for a broader understanding and deeper appreciation of the numerous, nameless and bold visionaries who dared to express in glass and stone messages for the human spirit.”
—The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, Honorary Canon of Grace Cathedral; author of Walking a Sacred Path

About the Author

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Gernot Candolini is a designer and builder of labyrinths, and retreat leader. Through seminars and books he has helped bring the symbol of the labyrinth to a new renaissance. His retreats focus on cathedrals and labyrinths, and he often gives seminars at Chartres Cathedral in France. Learn more at www.gernotcandolini.com.

 

Jennifer Brandon delights in sharing the unique overlap of faith and music with others on the pilgrim road—in Europe, the Holy Land, and in her own neighborhood in Indianapolis. She holds a Master of Arts in Church Music from Christian Theological Seminary.

Praise For…

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“Places of Light deserves to be read slowly. It is that beautiful. Candolini and Brandon offer much more than a glowing visual pilgrimage of cathedrals. The accompanying prose is a testament to the human spirit and the journey of the soul in life. They wisely claim (in reference to cathedral crypts) that ‘Sometimes dark, deep quiet is just the environment needed to see clearly.’” —Paula D’Arcy, author of Gift of the Red Bird and Stars at Night

“Cathedrals magnetize one’s spiritual compass. Places of Light opens the historic portals of twenty cathedrals for a broader understanding and deeper appreciation of the numerous, nameless and bold visionaries who dared to express in glass and stone messages for the human spirit.” —The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, Honorary Canon of Grace Cathedral; author of Walking a Sacred Path

“This beautifully written book takes readers on a journey through some of the great cathedrals of the world—from Chartres to Hagia Sophia to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Each page is full of sensory details and insights into Christian architecture, history, spirit, and community. Equally insightful are thematic chapters on features such as rose windows, the role of light, pilgrimage, and celebration. This is a book of joy and inspiration.” —Frank Burch Brown, Senior Editor in Religion and the Arts, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion; F.D. Kershner Professor of Religion and the Arts, Emeritus, Christian Theological Seminary