Lifetecture

My Northsider friend J. came down to Pilsen yesterday and while we were waiting for Honky Tonk Barbecue to open, we accidentally stumbled upon a garden of roses. St. Procopius church spire dominates the view from my apartment, and even though I’ve attended mass there, I’ve never noticed the small sanctuary to the East. Walking up the small crumbling path to the Joliet limestone chapel was like entering another world.

There’s a mosiac mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe facing the street and underneath, peonies bloomed, reminding me of my friend Mle. who is now living in Tokyo. The entrance to the chapel was painted Virgin Mary blue, flanked by two cross-shaped windows. It was all the more alluring by the fact that it was locked. I’m hoping to go tomorrow and try to get in during the service period. I plan to use it as a semi-private garden; a resource which is rare in this neighborhood. It was a moment of serene quiet and calm in the midst of the clamour and bold colour of the street.