The Murmurs of the Basilica, Peter Spielman

Book “The Murmures of the Basilica”, a mystical journey through the Basilica of Vézelay by Peter Spielman.

The Basilica of Vézelay, summit of Romanesque architecture, is not only a dazzling for the eyes, by its grace, by the accuracy of its proportions, by the song of the stone with so finely differentiated tones: no, this church speaks to us, notes Peter Spielman, who has traveled it for almost fifty years. Patient exercise during which he deciphered what the abundant wealth of historical sculpture tells us, the calculation of light or the cleverly thought out arrangement of the proposals of this vessel. A speech of stone. a great spiritual and human call addressed to those who, having passed the portal, are welcomed by the open arms of Christ in the heart of the central tympanum.

PETER SPIELMAN, a high school teacher in Germany, is the translator of a dozen titles in spirituality and art. He is the author of several books and collections of poetry and gives lectures on medieval iconography. Familiar with the Madeleine, he showed it around for several years as a volunteer guide. In 1990, he spent a six-month study trip there to better understand the initiatory message of the basilica. He is at the center of this essay.