Why we need to see some real flesh on St Andrew's bones

The culminating event of St Andrews Day/Night/Weekend -- held in the atmospheric, chilly moonlit grounds of St Andrews Cathedral -- was powerful proof that vision also requires explanation.

Europe’s leading light designer, Ross Ashton had been commissioned to create the most complex light and sound installation in Britain this year. The performance was a stunning mosaic of vivid images drifting across the ancient walls beneath a real, cloud-circled moon, synchronised to a surround-sound musical soundtrack. In St Mary’s Quad, the pictures described the journey of Scotland from the Ice Age to the present. In the Cloisters the story was the journey of St Andrew’s bones to Scotland and the subsequent history of the Fife town.

It was a thrilling performance, and now that I’ve been online, its epic scope is also apparent.

I’m not sure, however, if the 20-strong audience last night entirely grasped it. To be fair, the rolling nature of the display meant a “fresh” twenty people were doubtless walking in as we left the Cathedral grounds. But few locals seemed to know the show was on, still fewer paid to view it and no-one we spoke to understood what they’d just seen. Perhaps there’s a moral. In art, religion and politics, vision also requires explanation. The vision behind today’s Independence Referendum is no exception.

Alex Salmond’s choice of St Andrews Day to launch the White Paper is of course symbolic. St Andrew is Scotland’s patron saint. He was also a man whose life was completely transformed by the greatest communicator the world has ever known.

Jesus had vision. But he knew it didn’t explain itself and used parable, miracle, example, conversation, conversion, description and the power of physical presence to convert strong, capable men like Andrew to his cause.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m neither comparing the First Minister to Jesus Christ nor Scottish Independence to the Promised Land. Not for a minute. To read more - click here.

Comments

[bru]

Sounds like blast.
There's a fascinating book you might like called Mystery of the Cathedrals ;)

Thank you for your own fierce and uplifting book Lesley ..
There's compassion and Poetry in your words.