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Spikes On The Grille - Carmelite Monastery


graciandelamadrededios

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graciandelamadrededios

That's the whole point!!!  <_<

 

During the time of St. Teresa, the local town folk pose dangers to the Nuns.  The idea of putting spikes on the grille is to protect the Nuns from those who wants to grab them or those knights with swords that threatens the nuns by inserting them into the space of the bar.

 

During that period, there are families who objected to their daughters or sisters entering a strict cloister.

 

St. Clare was dragged by her male relatives but she clung to the altar cloth.  Her sister, St. Agnes was not lucky, she was violently carried by her male relatives away from the monastery.  Good thing is that St. Clare prayed and suddenly her sister's body became so heavy that they were forced to abandon her.  Strict enclosure and separation of grilles were not enforced that time.

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graciandelamadrededios

Praised be Jesus Christ! Thanks for sharing that Gracian! I just noticed this, the Allentown Carmel (O.Carm.) has spikes, http://www.carmelite-nuns.com/Allentown_Carmelites_Photos_Community.htm

 

p.s. a video from Benediction there, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9EozeCD2sM  wish it were wider, but this is nice. they really have a beautiful chapel and high altar!

 

Thanks for pointing it out, Chiqui!

 

I just noticed it too, if you look closely.  But reading the biography of their foundress, Mother Therese, she really wanted this Carmel to be like St. Teresa's.  Even their habit similar to French Discalced Carmelite Nuns.  Mother Therese corresponded with the biological sister of St. Therese, Mother Agnes of Jesus.

 

So, she might have gotten this idea from the OCD than from the O. Carms.

 

I am learning a lot about Carmelite Nuns prior to the reform of St. Teresa.  The book written by Joachim Smet, O. Carm. is really a treasure.

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graciandelamadrededios

I recently found this youtube video of Discalced Carmelite Nuns in Thailand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGH4ynGgEcQ

 

The Nuns are literally "discalced" as you can see in the video.  I think this is common custom among Carmels in tropical countries or a custom of the poor in the country.  I read an account of a Filipina Novice that they used to be barefooted before Vatican II.  Now, in some Carmels in the Philippines, they can choose to wear a common slippers or go barefoot.

 

The foundation of monasteries of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns in Thailand can be traced back to French Foundations in Vietnam.  Several of Carmels in the Philippines were founded by the French Mothers from Vietnam.

 

 

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inperpetuity

Thanks to you Chiqui I am staying up past my bedtime! LOL I can't believe I never even noticed their spikes, wow.  And, I saw that they do in fact have an altar rail.  I will be visiting them next month!  Praised Be Jesus Christ!

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inperpetuity

So did the Seattle Carmelites move to a different location?  Their original chapel was beautiful, spikes and all!

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Regarding the spikes, the prioress at one Carmel told me that before the spikes were removed, there was one occasion when a priest whose eyesight was not great nearly lost an eye on one... and needed some stitches.   She said she and all the Sisters were glad when they were removed because of dozens of incidents like this.  

 

Regarding the Seattle Carmel, I know the answer on this one.  They had originally been in building that was purchased for them in I believe 1903 or so... .the father of one of the Nuns paid for the monastery in order to have his daughter back near their home rather than on the East Coast where it was tough for the family to visit her.  (This is a pretty common scenario for many of the West Coast Carmels, btw....)   But the location wasn't ideal.  It was in the middle of Seattle, and when the neighborhood got bad, it was impossible for the sisters to stay there safely.  And there simply was no room for a decent enclosure Garden.  The community was encouraged by the bishop to move outside the limits of Seattle itself yet within the diocese, so they moved slightly north to Shoreline, and the Bishop got the parishes to donate their Christmas collection toward purchasing them land and $$$ to build a new monastery, which they did in the mid 1960s.   The chapel is simple, but beautiful in its own way.. .and they have lovely grounds.   You can see that (and some history and photos) on their website:

 

http://www.seattlecarmel.org/

 

 

This is an interesting article about the original monastery that came out at the time of their 100th Anniversary:

 

http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2009/12/an-oasis-of-silence-and-prayer-at-18th-and-howell/

 

There USED to be a nice article on the original monastery with great pictures... but the Seattle Archdiocese's newspaper has now ceased, and the archives are gone......

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  • 3 weeks later...
graciandelamadrededios

Praised be Jesus Christ! Thanks for sharing that Gracian! I just noticed this, the Allentown Carmel (O.Carm.) has spikes, http://www.carmelite-nuns.com/Allentown_Carmelites_Photos_Community.htm

 

p.s. a video from Benediction there, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9EozeCD2sM  wish it were wider, but this is nice. they really have a beautiful chapel and high altar!

 

Photos of Choir Grilles with Spikes from the Monastery of Carmelite Nuns of the Ancient Observance in Allentown:

 

Allentown-Carmelites-04.jpg
 
Allentown-Carmelites-03.jpg
 
 
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The Carmelo de Sta. Tereza in Rio de Janeiro city is where the spikes are still on the Chapel Grille. The Nuns at the modern Carmel where the Nuns are speaking, do not have any spikes. In fact, a few Carmels in Brazil  have no grilles at all in the chapels. Sta. Tereza in Rio is a very old building & is well-preserved. I believe the recent preservation was financed by the government....

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graciandelamadrededios

The Carmelo de Sta. Tereza in Rio de Janeiro city is where the spikes are still on the Chapel Grille. The Nuns at the modern Carmel where the Nuns are speaking, do not have any spikes. In fact, a few Carmels in Brazil  have no grilles at all in the chapels. Sta. Tereza in Rio is a very old building & is well-preserved. I believe the recent preservation was financed by the government....

 

Thanks for the info.  There you go, Chiqui!

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  • 1 year later...
Alberto Guimaraes

Peace and Good!

Lovely, living barefoot our spiritual life!

Congratulations, Indian and Philipine sisters!

Br. Alberto Guimaraes OFS

Braga - Portugal

Edited by Alberto Guimaraes
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  • 1 year later...
graciandelamadrededios
orapronobis

I have to admit if I visited a Carmel with spikes on the grille, I would most likely end the day in the hospital. Rather accident prone!

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graciandelamadrededios
15 hours ago, orapronobis said:

I have to admit if I visited a Carmel with spikes on the grille, I would most likely end the day in the hospital. Rather accident prone!

I agree.  The tip is to stay away as far as possible.  

Manila Carmel removed the spikes on their grille but they opted to leave the spikes on the very top of the grille where no humans can reached.

 

 

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