The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Moody Blue

Inside the church the only light came from the overhead chandeliers and the candles set up around. There were spotlights too that would be lit for regular services, but they were never lit for the daily service. Teddy much preferred the church as it was half hidden in the gloom. It had a kind of somber feel that he enjoyed. 

Teddy genuflected then filed into the first pew, him on one side and Sister Matilda on the other. She offered him a small smile which he reciprocated, and then Fr. Charles nodded and began the service. 

Teddy allowed his mind and eyes to wander as he looked around the building. Counter to Fr. Charles assertion that the building had once been an Anglican institution, the inside was done with distinctly Catholic paintings and statues. Perhaps the ornaments had been added later, but they appeared to be very intentional in their placements. 

The church was arranged with two side aisles and one larger center aisle surrounding the rows of deep mahogany pews. The altar was a step up from the marble flooring, and set out by its half  octagonal shape. There was little gold in the church, excepting the golden tabernacle in the center of the altar, also set up by a few steps. Above it was a large matching wood crucifix with an ivory rendition of Jesus attached to it. Behind the altar were three large stained glass windows. They depicted three scenes from the life of St. Thomas More: the first showed More learning to pray with a group of monks, the third showed him accepting his place at King Henry's court, the middle window--- which sat behind the crucifix --- depicted More being burned at the stake and reaching out his hand to point towards the left hand side of the sanctuary. 

This was anachronistic, Teddy knew, because St. Thomas More had his sentence lightened and was only decapitated by the English Protestant faction--- a far less painful death. Fr. Charles had once told Teddy that the window showed death at the stake for St. Thomas More because only the glass for the face had been changed and the window had once displayed the death of Sir Thomas Cranmer rather than St. Thomas More. Cranmer was a devout Protestant who was martyred under the reign of Queen Mary I. Cranmer had recanted Protestantism and rejoined communion with the Catholic faith in an attempt to spare himself from death, and when this proved futile he had dramatically reached out his hand so that the fingers which signed the document could be burned first. The window seemed to reflect this action. 

Though this confused Teddy because Congregationalist churches in New England almost never had stained glass windows. They saw it as a waist of money and distracting in a space that was meant to be simple. Moreover, Puritans were very unlikely to display images of saints above the altar if at all, which they would have equated to idolatry. 

The windows cast their warm colors over the tabernacle and crucifix and down onto the floor as the morning sun shined through them with only Fr. Charles and the altar interrupting their projection. The shades of red reflected were nearly as vibrant as they were cast in the ruby colored glass. 

There were two side altars at the back of the church. To the left side in the front by the altar was a white marble statue of the Blessed Mother depicted with a crown of twelve stars above her head and clutching the baby Jesus. Behind her was a blue tinted window displaying the Seven Sorrows in order of biblical occurrence. The statue itself was standing on a rounded and cratered orb which represented the moon, and crushed under her foot was a snake with large teeth. The plaque marking the statue read: "Deus Qui Fecit Solem, Item Lunam Fecit. Luna Non Aufert a Solis Fulgore."

Across from Mary was another altar, this one dedicated St. Anthony. The friar was pictured in the glass behind him holding the monstrance up to a donkey which bowed its head and knelt its front leg. As the story went, St. Anthony was challenged by townspeople regarding the Eucharist and told them that even a lowly donkey would bow in awe to the Lord, so he went out and found one and it was done.  The statue was marble as well and displayed the Franciscan in his habit also with the baby Jesus in his arms as he was often pictured.