Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel
The Interior
According to Christian architectural tradition, the church
building represents the body of Christ through whom the faithful
come to God. The apse signifies the head of Christ and the
nave His body. The nave of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity
Chapel is relatively narrow, yet dramatically high. This configuration
emphasizes the prominence of the altar and tabernacle and
the transcendence of God.
Two Roman churches are especially good models for this nave:
St. Paul Outside the Walls and Santa Sabina. While St. Paul
Outside the Walls is a large, ornate church, Santa Sabina
is older and relatively simple. Yet in both of these churches
the columns that separate the nave from the side aisles are
placed relatively close together to project a taller, narrower
arch. These arches, when viewed from the entry, take the eye
from column to column, march it to the altar, and lift the
imagination heavenward.
To complement the arches and columns along the nave, the ceiling
is vaulted. The curvature of the vault magnifies the elevation
of the nave and inspires thoughts of transcendence. This height
goes up still another level, to the dome where the nave meets
the transept.
Pews in the nave and transept will seat 370. The generous
side aisles, like those in many Roman churches, have no pews
but will accommodate extra seating for special Masses.
The white marble tabernacle is located high up on the center
axis at the back of the sanctuary. The matching altar sits
forward of the tabernacle under a beautiful baldachino supported
by bronze, Solomonic columns.
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