Flying Ship In Church

[CatherineM]

It may simply be because the carpenters also made boats, and you do what you do best. That was the case with out parish, and it even creaks like an old sailing ship.
[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3510378449_43c6b99627_m.jpg[/img]

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

I've never heard of this, much less seen it in any of the many parishes/congregations I have visited, of any denomination.

I like it, though. Lots of interesting symbolism.

Sometimes I visit a church that feels like a fast-food outlet, in that it could be located anywhere, and has nothing that reflects the local culture of the worshippers.

Edited April 22, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[john654]

Hi,
There is a Lutheran church in Garden Grove, Ca. that is build in the shape of a ship/ark. Lutherans should know, but don't, that their ark will not float!

John

[brandelynmarie]

Never have seen it before but this article kinda sorta explains it:




"Why do ship models hang in so many Danish churches?", many church goers and tourists have no doubt asked themselves. The babtismal font, the altar and the pulpit all have their functions during the service, but what is the function of the church ship?

Around 1300 ships models are to be found hanging in Danish churches. The oldest one is found i Ho Church in West Jutland where it has been since 1710. However, written evidence exists of church ships from 1536 in Landskrona (Sweden), and from 1560 in St. Olai Church in Elsinore (Denmark). It is unknown today whether church ships were also used in Catholic times.

In Denmark the first church ships appeared in the coastal villages, and from there the custom spread to the churches inland.

The possible reasons to hang a ship model in the church room may have been as a gift of:

social status from a group of sailors or fishermen to decorate the church room.

memory of individual persons or of memorable events.

gratefulness donated by a person who has something to thank God for - such as a sea

traveller safely returned after a long sea journey.

decorating the church room and to express the symbolism between the human life and the ship during stormy and calm weather."

http://www.kirkeskibe.dk/en/index.htm

[Era Might]

[quote name='Winchester' date='21 April 2010 - 07:42 PM' timestamp='1271893351' post='2097601']
Eh, Vikings.
[/quote]
That's what I was thinking. When Shield Sheafson dies in "Beowulf" they put him on a ship loaded with treasures and send him out to sea.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Era Might

[Maria]

I think it's a votive from sailors, at least the ones in Bonsecours chapel.

*goes searching*


This is what the website for Notre Dame de Bonsecours chapel says:
[quote][size="3"][font="Arial Black"][url="http://www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com/en/chapel/history.asp"]The Sailors’ Church[/url][/font][/size]

As the port grew in importance in the 19th century, the chapel became a favourite place of prayer for sailors. The carved replicas of sailing ships hang from the vault of the chapel as a reminder of their faith in Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours.[/quote]

and
[quote][font="Arial Black"][size="3"][url="http://www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com/en/pastoral/pilgrimage.asp"]Objects offered to the Chapel by pilgrims[/url] [/size][/font]

Many of the objects in Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel bear witness to the different types of pilgrim. Some of the votive hearts hanging on the walls of the sanctuary recall the many groups of pilgrims who responded to the invitation of Ignace Bourget, second bishop of Montreal, in his desire to restore the tradition of pilgrimage to the chapel of Marguerite Bourgeoys. The model boats hanging from the ceiling evoke the attattachment of the sailors and longshorement to the Chapel. The first evidence of this devotion of which a record is known is the ship presented by the papal zouaves on May 26, 1872. These men from all over Canada wished to thank the Blessed Virgin for her protection on the voyage back to Canada after the Siege of Rome where they had defended Pope Pius IX. To this day the Zouaves of Valleyfield come in pilgrimage each year on the third Sunday of September to commemorate the end of the Siege on September 20, 1870.[/quote]

This is an example of one of the boats at Bonsecours: [img]http://www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com/fr/images/Pastorale/pelerinage3.jpg[/img]

Edited April 22, 2010 by Maria

[Ephrem Augustine]

flying ship like the millenium falcon?

[jeffpugh]

This church in Quebec City: Notre-Dame-des-Victoires
[img]http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/quebec-city-cdn1372.jpg[/img]

has a ship hanging inside. I forget the story behind it though. I saw it when I visited for the Eucharistic Congress. There was someone giving a tour of the interior.

[img]http://photos.igougo.com/images/p84597-Quebec_City-The_interior.jpg[/img]

[kamiller42]

[quote name='Sacred Music Man' date='22 April 2010 - 06:02 PM' timestamp='1271973739' post='2098227']
[img]http://photos.igougo.com/images/p84597-Quebec_City-The_interior.jpg[/img]
[/quote]
This is what I found when I zoomed into that picture with an image editor.

[img]http://joyhog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/sparrow-jack-pirate-4.jpg[/img]

I like to think Jack is sailing away from Davy Jones' locker.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='zunshynn' date='21 April 2010 - 08:28 PM' timestamp='1271892501' post='2097587']
At one time it was customary for the Blessed Sacrament to be suspended above the altar in a container that was designed to look like different symbols of the faith... like sometimes a dove... possibly some were in the shape of a ship? The Blessed Sacrament is no longer reposed in this way in any church as far as I know though.
[/quote]

I've heard Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago has a suspended tabernacle. Would like to see it for myself next time I'm up there... I like the idea.

[Hilde]

I'm so used to references to water and boats in church anyway. Like the story of Jesus in the storm, and water of life and so on. And I thought it meant something that it was pointed to the altar. We do have a lot of boats here in general though. We do have several seaman churches here too and located in other countries sort om like embassies. you can get married in another country and stuff. And they have waffles.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Hilde

[Norseman82]

When I saw the title, I thought of all these recent History Channel programs stating that various Bible stories were really accounts of alien visitations.