Rosslyn Chapel Revealed

Rosslyn Chapel Revealed is intended for those who wish to understand the Chapel, now restored and re-dedicated, and the many myths which have attached themselves to its unforgettable splendor. For centuries Rosslyn Chapel has been the subject of ingenious speculation. The Chapel was designed by Sir William Sinclair, in the 1440s. Funds were put in place to support a priest and clergy whose task was to celebrate mass regularly and pray for Sir William and his family in perpetuity. In 1560, however, the Scottish Reformation intervened and the chapel declined. This book shows that the chapel is first and foremost a Christian building, constructed in the traditions of the pre-Reformation Church for the celebration in word, gesture, and music of the Divine Office and of the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered on his Cross for the salvation of the human race. The stunning beauty of the Chapel, its unexpected delicacy, and the uninhibited humor of its stone carvings, which have drawn visitors in such avid numbers from all over the planet, are a tribute to the honesty and validity of the religious experience to be found within its ancient walls, in a breathtaking setting of valley and river that is older than time.