Most beautiful church I have ever seen

There is beauty in destruction.

In a walking tour in lisbon, I entered a church called IGREJA DE SÃO DOMINGOS.

Built in 1200s, church went through it all: including 2 earthquakes, almost complete rebuilding and a fire which took place in 1959. It was only reopened in 1994. Strangely, it was renovated in a way not to hide the fire but to show the church can still operate after the fire.

The minute you enter the church you are strike by the damage 1959 fire left behind. You get to experience the brutal power of destruction. You marvel at the resilience of the church. Still there (maybe adopted, maybe rebuilt, maybe damaged but still there) after almost 1000 years, living through earthquakes, fires and genocides.

For most people, it was an ugly church with dark grey stones and damaged interior. They compared it to the polished, highly renovated churches or to the churches who haven’t been through a lot. “Why are you not as beautiful?” they thought, “Why are you wearing your scars on your sleeve instead of hiding them?”, “Where is your bright & shiny armour to protect me from seeing your hurt, your damage so I don’t have to be reminded of mine?”.

As for me,

“This is beauty” I thought. Beauty is wearing your scars in your sleeve, looking breathtaking without the need for hiding.

“This is resilience” I thought. Resilience is not merely surviving the damage but making it a part of your beauty, your growth.

“This is a life fully lived” I thought. Living fully means not hiding from destruction, grief and sadness. By not hiding, you get to be truly transformed.

This one is for our scars that make us alive, beautiful and resilient.

Love,

Flux