Crosses

For a confirmed agnostic, I have a surprising fascination with churches. I think it's an appreciation of what they stand for, both from an architectural and historical point of view, that is responsible rather than a deep seated spirituality. Indeed most religious buildings captivate me as I think they're able to say so much about the time in which they were built and the objectives of those who constructed them.

Sadly, as quite a few of my previous blips show, the churches of Christchurch haven't fared too well in the earthquakes, their masonry hit hard by the forces unleashed. This church, St James the Great on Riccarton Rd (built in 1923 in the English Gothic style) like many others is currently undergoing restoration.

Stopping to take this photo I was struck by the amount of crosses formed by the bracing and scaffolding - there seemed a certain irony that like many other houses of worship across the city, crosses are not in short supply in this damaged building....