Today is the Feast of the Transverberation of St. Teresa of Ávila (and this time, I’m not sure even an old lady saying her rosary in church could explain it to you).
If you find yourself in Rome, run – do not walk – to Santa Maria della Vittoria. The church houses one of the most astonishing works of art: The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini.
Look for the light switch to illuminate the statue. Just think: God had to set St. Teresa ablaze with shafts of pure light – you can do it with the flick of a switch.
The sculpture depicts a moment described by St. Teresa in her autobiography, when she had a vivid vision of an angel piercing her heart with a golden shaft, over and over again, filling her with both immense joy and pain. Bernini’s flowing robes and contorted figures abandon classical restraint, capturing instead a more passionate, almost voluptuous trance.
Such is my obsession with religion.
The Haus of Dcaligari 