Private Chapels Offer Spiritual Sanctuary (PHOTOS)

Private chapels have been around for centuries in Europe as a must-have component of any aristocratic country estate. Now, the tradition is catching on in America, according to a piece in the December issue of Town & Country.

In a piece called "Hymns of Stone," Geraldine Fabrikan introduces some of the most outstanding private places of meditation and prayer to be built on this side of the Atlantic.

Private Chapels Across America

Comments

[BIG REV]

11:10 AM on 11/16/2011

I have a room in my house set aside for prayer and meditation. It is my meeting place with God. I feel if I set aside a place to Honor God He will be so kind as to show up when I go there to meet with Him, and He graciously does.I enjoy my time with God in that little room even more so than I do in a church building. There is something very special about one on one intimacy with God. And in my experience God desires to spend time with me as much as I do with Him.

[bensonwood]

06:37 PM on 11/12/2011

Private chapel???

Your bedroom, dinning room, bath room......any place you find refuge in your own home.
Money maker..........that is all.
You can find any where you look.

[naschkatze]

12:21 AM on 11/10/2011

I am reminded of when I visited Blenheim Castle and its private chapel, a dark wood paneled chamber with large white marble statues of the Churchill family and almost lost on the dark wood of a back wall a small cross made of the same dark wood. It really said something about priorities.

[Richard McRae]

07:09 PM on 11/08/2011

And for the final addition of insult to injury, name the chapel "Eye of the Needle". Might as well top off the hypocrisy.

[naschkatze]

12:24 AM on 11/10/2011

Haha, I thought of the movie by that name first and then realized you were saying something about camels too.

[sunshine14]

09:27 AM on 11/08/2011

Far better to build on ones property to build shelter to the poor to dwell in instead. Would Yah not be more pleased with that? Rather any empty building? Yah needs not a house to dwell in does He? For Yah said, the earth is My footstool.

[sunshine14]

09:00 AM on 11/08/2011

Yah said in asking, What temple can you built me that will contain Me, when the earth is my footstool? Yah said: Do you not know that you are the Temple of the Lord? Yah church then is not built out of bricks or stones, far more greater and valuable then what is made of hands, then? We each one of us are the Temple of the Lord are we not? And told simply Love Me with your whole heart soul, mind and strength. (spiritual strength). Yah is right where you stand when Yahshuah (Christ) worshiped Yah in prayer, personally communication, He did so right in the open air, the garden to where He choose to, His life the way He choose to live it, on earth was a daily prayer of worshiping Yah was it not? He went among where Yah was daily among the poor, the homeless, the outcasts, orphans, widows, aliens, where ever they dwell. Opinion only glorify Yah right where He dwells within in each one of us.Love all for all are dearly Love.

[ProCynic]

08:50 AM on 11/08/2011

This isn't just for the rich. My wife and I created a space on our property, we have just an acre, in the woods that fills much the same function. It is our place of reflection, contemplation, meditation. But, we've also created that inside the house.

We believe that worship and faith are private matters, we don't attend a church. I'd rather see more of these rather than more megachurchs.

[sunshine14]

09:11 AM on 11/08/2011

Opinion only. A saying, the rich are the poorest of them all and the poor know not how rich they really are. In wanting to know, all who suffer innocently by the persecution of others are chosen Ones of God? When one reads what is written all chosen by God suffered great persecution in serving Him, they all sought not the things of this world or material richest either. Their own blessings from God in whom they served only, were giving as blessings to others, thus blessings continued for the good of all and the Nation. There is no one, richer then Yah. Yah is the richest of all, for the earth is His footstool and He gives to all freely and shares with all that is His. Love all dearly and know all are dearly loved. Know all are tested and for some sadly their richest money can be ones curse if used not rightfully. Nothing is by luck, Yah showed that to King David and the King of Babylon, He removed them both from their thrones till they learned that lesson, to eat with the beast in the fields took all away. He makes Kings and He also removes them. Time comes to all who boast and think other wise. No one will escape it here or other wise. Because justice is delayed does not mean that justice has been denied. We all came with nothing, we all leave with nothing, for nothing is ours is it?

[meeljefe]

03:33 PM on 11/08/2011

Another Opinion. There are MANY non-wealthy people that know how rich they are, thats why the wealthy envy us.

But into agreement with procynic, I am not a religous man and was raised in a house that taught spiritual things should be more private. Now that I have a christian "wife" I have thought of building a "church" in the back yard.

[Sistagirl Young]

08:19 AM on 11/08/2011

People who build these "private" chapels are not buildin' to honor GOD but to honor themselves. JESUS gave the greatest sermon on a mount. No multi- million dollar edifices for HIM. Though HE could have had anything HE wanted. Life.

[MightyYowp]

10:54 PM on 11/07/2011

No need to compromise anymore. Now you can have just the church you want with just people who believe exactly what you believe. All alone. So sad.

[sunshine14]

09:58 AM on 11/08/2011

First Sabbath found in Deut. Commandments given to Moses all Laws in Chapter 5. Verse 12 it reads. Take care to keep the Sabbath day as the Lord, your Yah commanded you. Six days you may labor and do all your work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. No work may be done then, whether by you or your son or daughter, or your males or female slave, or your ox or ass or any of your beasts or the alien (foreigners) who lives with you. Your male and female slave should rest as you do. For remember that you too were once slaves in Egypt and the Lord your Yah, brought you from thee with his strong arm. "That is why the Lord your Yah has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. Notice Yah does not say have to gather in the community, go to Church weekly does He? Yah had more then one Sabbath day, Holy Sabbath Days, when we all gather as One, 3 times a Year when give our tithes each year then.. Why Yahshuah went into Jerusalem. Mentions the other Laws given to Moses about the other Sabbath Days, Deut. Chap.16, The Sabbath Passover, Sabbath Feast of Weeks, Sabbath Feast of Booths is when all come from all over to gather in One Sanctuary with Yah who will be in their present. So in asking are we commanded to go to church every week? .

[queckie1]

10:27 PM on 11/07/2011

Jesus talked about private prayer chapels when he says" Go to your prayer closet where no one see's you and make known your prayers to God, "

[dblueII]

09:59 PM on 11/07/2011

Hey God! It's me! Over here! In the chapel! No, not that chapel, this one, over here!

[dblueII]

09:55 PM on 11/07/2011

Or you could just nail a cross on the garage.

[sunshine14]

09:24 AM on 11/08/2011

Opinion only. did not the cross crucified my Lord?

[ecotopian]

10:38 AM on 11/08/2011

It's the symbol of the Christian religion. People who see it and understand as such. If the poster wishes to do this and treat the garage as a holy place, then the garage is now a sacred space. Although, it is already for some people.

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

08:53 PM on 11/07/2011

homage to hypocrisy...now what was that bit about rich men and the eye of a needle?

[BoFo]

03:18 PM on 11/07/2011

Great, build a McChapel to go with your McMansion.

[BoFo]

03:17 PM on 11/07/2011

Materialism is the antithesis of spirituality.

Try a walk in the woods instead.