Saint Ann's Church

EA few days ago we went to visit Saint Ann's church in the Muslim quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Tradition tells us that this is the place where Mary was born and where Jesus' grandmother (St. Ann) lived.  It is also next to the pool of Bethsaida where Jesus healed a blind man in Mark 8.  The church is a magnificent building made completely of stone with fantastic acoustics.  We took song time to sing Amazing Grace and Let Us Adore in the sanctuary.  But something surprising and interesting lurks in the church.

When you stand back at look at the whole, it is symmetrical, grand, and awe inspiring.  The previous pastor said that the church was designed to declare the majesty of God.  It certainly does.  But when you look closely some of the details do not add up.

(Notice the tops of the columns.  The front one is ribbed and the back is plain.)

(Notice again the difference between the tops of the columns.)

When you look at the details the building is not symmetrical.  The capitals of the columns are all different.  The height of the columns' feet are uneven.  Even the height where the arches meet the wall of each side are unequal.  The pastor said that this was designed to show the imperfection of people that make up the body of Christ.

I found this to be an amazing picture of God's gracious act to use sinners.  Praise God for His mercy.  Praise God that He uses broken sticks to draw straight lines.