Going to the Chapel

The Princeton Chapel is a campus landmark, both by virtue of being very, very old and by virtue of being impossible for any non-blind person to overlook. If I knew more about the campus layout, I could tell you whether the chapel is in the northeast quadrant, or the southern region, or right near the chemistry hall. But I don't, so I can't. Suffice to say it is located in Princeton.

Compare the Princeton Chapel to the Duke Chapel. The Duke Chapel is a gorgeous thing, one of the state's most breathtaking buildings. I still have fond memories of sitting in the pews during a scholarship visit--in retrospect, maybe I should have been using that time to shake hands or something. Ah, well. No matter how lovely Duke's chapel is, however, it looks absolutely rinky-dink next to Princeton's. Heck, anything not built to entomb a king would look rinky-dink beside it.

My favorite thing about the chapel? In the front, beyond the pews, there is an open space for small services. There, the benches are arranged a la the House of Commons--rows of benches facing each other across a flat open space. It reminds me of a gladiatorial pit. During the homily, you expect the priest to turn to the parishioners and yell, "Are you not entertained?"

No such luck. Maybe next Sunday...