Goodrich was responsible for gutting the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary that sits to the north of the main structure of Ely Cathedral. This was a relatively unsurprising move, given that 'Mary worship' was part of the old Roman Catholic religion that the Reformation Protestants most definitely wanted to expunge. But today it makes for a stark contrast to enter the Chapel and find something reminiscent of a disused church hall with nothing but plain glass all the way around after having just stepped out of the unbelievably ornate Cathedral proper with its countless ornaments, carvings and intricate stained glass windows.
But then, similarly incongruous within this bare chapel, there is a lone statue of the BVM standing proud against the wall, looking down on the room with arms held up high - praising God? receiving praise? I didn't find out for sure, but it must be that this was returned to the Chapel during a period of restoration (one of which was as recent as the year 2000). Whenever it was put there, it's pretty certain that it wouldn't have sat well with the plans that Goodrich had for Christian worship during Edward's time. Leaving nothing but Mary to focus on would have cut strongly against the grain.
That said, however, Goodrich did manage to find a comfortable place under Mary Tudor, who returned the Church of England back to Rome. And he did leave the rest of the Cathedral intact. I don't really know all that much about him, but think it would be interesting to learn more of Goodrich's views on gathered worship and how they changed over time.
From a theological perspective, I can plainly see the point in getting rid of the images. But also, coming at the Cathedral culturally, artistically and architecturally, I have to say that I appreciate a lot of what was left. It captures a lot of history that the Chapel doesn't and, frankly, it's pretty stunning to look at. I guess the question is how to preserve the buildings and their heritage without risking any confusion about how God mediates his grace to us.
Thanks Tim. Ely is a stunning cathedral. This particular image of Mary is purely revolting, and you are right, if it is the only 'image' in that the chapel then it is also liturgically incorrect, since Christ is the one through whom all our worship must be directed. Perhaps a cross (with or without a corpus) is what should be there as you look at to centre of the chapel. Being someone who has no problem with images in glass or on canvass or of stone/wood etc.. of Christ, the BVM, the saints I would agree with you - along the lines of the Henrician reform - that if the image itself distracts from our right focus of worship, then it must go. My experience in Anglican churches is that the focus is always right because of the deliberate balance between a devotion that is a form of admiration for a saint and of the right and due worship of God alone. Beauty does reflect something of God's holiness, but that beauty isn't God. Many English reformers were Iconoclasts but much of the iconoclasm in the C of E occurred under Cromwell during the Commonwealth. Enjoy and cheers! Matthew
ReplyDeleteIt is the Annunciation. Mary says Yes to God. She agrees to the conception of the Incarnate Word. I would suggest that Christ Jesus is very seriously present in the language of the statue, and that it is meaningless in the space until you appreciate that this is a sculptural interpretation of the Magnificat.
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