Well, certainly you know you are in a very special place when the church has its own fan site! The windows of the St. James Chapel are modeled on the windows of Sainte Chappelle in Paris, and they are one of the hidden gems of Chicago architecture. I had never been to the chapel, but I certainly got to see all of it on this day! I started by setting up near the front of the chapel, and then found out there was an elevator to the choir loft, so I was able to join the rest of the musicians.
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| The choir loft: my eventual destination! |
Besides being beautiful beyond belief, the chapel offers an interesting option for Catholic couples: you do not need to be a member of a specific parish to qualify to marry here. The chapel has a really helpful site for couples who want to explore the option of marrying here, plus their pictures are much better than mine!
To me, the designation of "chapel" conjures up a small space. In actuality, this particular chapel can accommodate 299 people! On top of that, you have all of the resources of the music department of the nearby Holy Name Cathedral at your disposal! At this mass, the bridal couple enjoyed a full choir, a string quartet, two trumpet players, harp, and the magnificent pipe organ. Thank goodness the choir loft is as roomy as the chapel itself!
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| Once up in the loft, I had a bird's eye view of the amazing windows, and of course the pipe organ! |
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