Letters From Vienna: An Ode to Beauty, A Royal Dream.

The preservation of beauty is necessary and needed. Life should be an ode to beauty. Vienna makes me want to swim in a sea of elegance and dance to an endless symphony of the sweetest music.

A Letter From Vienna, Austria :

Elegance. Catholicism. Royalty. Style. Romance. Architecture. Baroque. The preservation of beauty. A melody of majesty; that’s Vienna.

Me on the steps of the National Library of Vienna

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The gardens of the palace are alive with beauty, and I find myself enamored amid the grandeur of Catholic royalty. Kingdoms on earth, foreshadowing the Kingdom to come. This is why beauty is necessary, it makes us think of the world to come. Under the rule of Christ The King, what does it mean to be a Daughter of The Queen? The gardens of the palace, and the frescos on the walls whisper “You are royal too.” Royal inheritance bestowed from above. I look up at The Coronation of The Mother of God, painted on the ceiling of a Church in Vienna, and am left with wonder pondering on the innocent desire of my young feminine heart who wanted to be a princess as a little girl. To be a Daughter of The Queen of Heaven makes you a princess; let your pure heart rejoice and be glad. Catholicism is a royal religion, and God is alive with fresh wonder, mysteries, answered desires, and beauty beyond words.

Me in front of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna

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I remember one day after Mass, I was in a coffee shop; and the little girl who was in front of me in line, turned to me and exclaimed “You look like a princess!” With the biggest smile upon her face. What a grace filled, theologically rich moment. The heart of every little girl longs to be a beautiful princess. May the heart of every woman understand the eternal truth echoing within that sweet, innocent desire. God bestows the royal title on His little brides, early on. Remember wearing your First Communion dress?

“In My Father’s house, there are many dwelling places.”- John 14:2

The many rooms of the palace, resemble the rooms of the interior castle within the soul, where Christ is enthroned as King in its center. There are many rooms in The Kingdom of God. Heaven is a palace, a monarchy, a royal kingdom.

You know movies where the villain tries to stop the protagonist from knowing his or her birthright because if one knows who they are destined to be, it changes everything? As Catholics, knowing we are of royalty changes everything, which is why we seldom realize it. Reverence, elegance, and beauty, the devil is on a mission to destroy. Jealousy and hatred from the one who was banished from The Kingdom, the royal inheritance belongs not to satan.

Saint Anne’s Church “Annakirche” in Vienna, that houses the relic of the right hand of Saint Anne, the grandmother of our Lord.

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To attend the Wedding Feast that is the Mass wholeheartedly in your identity as a royal. Does a princess not wear her tiara? Lest a woman not veil at Mass? Proper “royal” attire is necessary for attendance at the Mass. The Churches in Vienna are stunningly grand. How can you not believe when beauty this deep is revealed before you? Perhaps Mass attendance is so poor in America because The Churches make you apologize to God for lack of beauty, instead of compelling you to fall to your knees and praise Him for the beauty that is before you. The golden baroque of Vienna engulfs you in your royal title. I could have sat all day in the pews of the Vienna Churches, gazing upon a different piece of beauty each and every moment. This is what true beauty does, it makes it hard to part from.

Saint Charles Church, “Karlskirche” in Vienna

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Turning the corner, my eyes land upon Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, and an audible “Praise God” escapes from my lips. The Cathedral looks like a castle, and I am once again reminded of the royalty of Catholicism.

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral In Vienna

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If Christ is King and He dwells inside the Tabernacle, it is only fitting for His dwelling place, The Church, to resemble a beautiful castle fit for the King of Kings.

Me praying in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna

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Are modern Churches fit for The King of Kings? Is modern architecture beautiful? Why has everything become so ugly? Do white plain walls of modern Churches make you understand your royal inheritance? Do you want to go into a palace with plain walls? Modern man is spiritually dead, has no clue about eternal truths and therefore is creating ugliness instead of beauty. In order to produce beauty one must know He who is the maker of beauty, and beauty Himself. Beauty can only bloom from its source; the source of all beauty being God Almighty.

See my article "Beauty Only Blooms From Its Source"

Vienna has been a visual representation of truths I have long known and an outward sign of the royalty that is Catholicism. The preservation of beauty is necessary and needed. Life should be an ode to beauty. Vienna makes me want to swim in a sea of elegance and dance to an endless symphony of the sweetest music. I want to fully immerse myself in beautiful things, and live my life as an ode to beauty, that leads to beauty Himself.

Sending love with letters from Vienna, Austria.

Serviam.

July 13th is The Feast Day of Saint Henry, patron of Dukes.

“Now, we must help each other get to Heaven.” - Blessed Charles of Austria