Who Was this Paul Guy and Why Does he Need a Catheter?

St. Paul’s Cathedral is one that towers over London, visible from most parts of the middle of the city and looming over the streets in undeniable magnificence. Even the outside is full of history and beauty. As we entered the building I was immediately struck with a sense of awe. The ceilings were huge and intricately designed.

The ambience in this building was immediately overtaking. It was hard not to think of the long history of people who have worshipped here. Those who have come in suffering and pain, those seeking growth and comfort, and those finding love and peace. As we sat, I admired all the art in the ceilings. It sparkled with gold details, and all of it was so intricate. I marveled at how the people all those years ago were able to create this place. How long it must have taken, how many people and the work that went into crafting just the ceiling alone. Everywhere you looked there was something amazing to marvel at. The room seemed to stretch on forever, downstairs, and upstairs.

We were there sitting in the pews when someone came up and started a prayer. The silence in the room was a different kind of quiet than most. I thought about how many kinds of prayers have been said in this room. This woman prayed for Ukraine. I wondered how many other prayers had been said in the hopes of a safe return for loved ones from a war. There seemed to be room in this place for all the hopes, fears, and emotions of anyone who entered.

We were downstairs looking at all the burial sites of people who were laid to rest in this church. The tour guide showed us the grave of the architect responsible for the cathedral: Christopher Wren. She noted that you would expect his grave to be one of the most grandiose monuments in the building. But no, it was a simple plaque on the wall. In Latin it said: Si monumentum requiris circumspice.” The tour guide translated it for us, and I felt a pang in my heart. “If you would seek my monument, look around you.” What a beautiful sentiment and a perfect representation of art and what it means to create.

As we ventured to the top of the tower, the stairs were in the simplest words—long. It took a lot of climbing and effort to get to the first level and we all were thankful when we finally arrived. It was beautiful from up there, it felt like you could almost see the whole city. However, there was another level you could climb to. I figured we had already climbed so far; it couldn’t be too much farther. I was wrong. Except these stairs were spiraling and made of rickety metal, and it was quite claustrophobic as everything was narrow and we were packed in a long line that made the climb up one stair take about two minutes. You could look down and see just how far up you were in this level of the cathedral; it was quite a fall far if you were to slip. I was nervous and honestly a little scared. I’m not a big fan of spiral staircases and it felt like I was constantly balancing on the edge.

This made me think about how many beautiful things in my life had been waiting on the other side of fear and hardship. I knew that persevering would be worth it, and it was a pivotal and changing moment of my trip where I realized that my strength had carried me through the scariest moments to the most beautiful ones. When we finally reached the top and I stepped out onto the balcony I immediately began to cry as soon as my eyes caught sight of the city and the horizon in front of us. It was a view like I had never seen before, and it was magnificent. Pictures and description could never do it justice.

I may not have faith in some of the things that other people who visit this church do, but St. Paul’s cemented that faith in myself and trust in the world around me will always grant me success, and a breathtaking view.