Prayer is something that is very important to me and is a daily action in my life. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France, is one of the holiest spots I have had the pleasure of being in my life. Besides holding a lot of beauty, the Cathedral holds history, which made me better understand some things about Christianity and Catholicism. I prayed several times while I was in the Cathedral.
While at the Cathedral, I got to sing vespers. During vespers, I felt especially close to God. I realized how many people sang those same songs in that particular Cathedral. The fact that I was able to sing the vespers was overwhelming. The vespers were in French and Latin, two languages which I am not particularly fluent in. Regardless of the language barrier, I knew I was praying and that God was listening to my prayers.
I spent other time in the Cathedral, too. I spent time looking at the beautiful sculptures and prayed to God during these times. My father told me how many people who could not read would come into the church to look at the sculptures and the stained glass, and learn many of the stories of Christ through the statues and windows. This reminded me how many people over thousands of years have worshiped at Notre Dame.
I feel special knowing that I felt close to God in this amazing Cathedral. I prayed for so many things during my time inside the Cathedral. I prayed for my friends and my family, as well as for the poor and hungry.
My prayer time in the Cathedral made it well worth the visit. Never had I found myself so touched just by singing songs. I was praying in a different way than I had before I had gone to the Cathedral.
(Kathleen Komarinski, 17, is a student at Mohonasen High School and a member of St. Gabriel's parish in Rotterdam. She is a winner of this year's teen essay contest, sponsored by The Evangelist. Teens were asked to describe their favorite place to pray. Five winners, selected from the hundreds of entries, appear in this special teen issue.)