Information Services Office   19.11.2012

407

Bell Tower
The interior of the chapel is designed to create a sublime ambience
Stained Glass
Disciples
Sculpture
 
Newsletter No. 407 > Feature > An Oasis for the Soul > Features of the Chapel

Features of the Chapel

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Bell Tower

The bell tower connected to the Divinity School has Hong Kong’s only 24-bell carillon. The computer-controlled instrument has a range spanning two octaves and weighs 1,500kg. Besides chiming every hour from 8 am to 10 pm, it can play 99 hymns. Its music heard far and wide, infuses the campus with spirituality.

Baptismal Font

Just inside the chapel is a baptismal font about half the height of an adult. Its water offers symbolic cleansing to visitors before they enter the interior of the chapel. When there's no service, water trickling down the font is the only sound in the hallowed space.

Altar

The altar is a round table in the middle of the chapel. Above it natural light streams from a roof window. Aptly, this very table had seen theology students studying, discussing and having meals in the past 40 years, before it took on its new sublimated function.

Crucifix

The crucifix is the one used in the College logo. Incorporated into its Western-style structure are clouds and lotus, symbols representing Taoism and Buddhism respectively. The juxtaposition of Eastern and Western religious motifs was a way in which Western missionaries in the early days attempted to make Christianity more acceptable to locals in Asia.

Gong

Bells are chimed before service to church-goers in a tranquil and religious frame of mind. A pastor who is an expert in Asian sacred music bought a magnificent artisanal gong in Yilan, Taiwan. The deep and solemn reverberations of the instrument serve the same purpose of the bell, but, appropriately for a chapel on the Chinese University campus, with a tribute to ancient Chinese culture.

Ring of Unity

The ‘Ring of Unity’ design on the ceiling stands for the spirit of unity in Christianity—the unity of different denominations, of culture, society, and believers from different backgrounds.

Stained Glass

The chapel is surrounded by windows to maximize natural light and make nature part of the worship experience during service. Fourteen stained glass windows are etched with images of the condemnation, the crucifixion and the burial, etc., from the Fourteen Stations of the Cross.

Disciples

The chapel is supported by 12 pillars, and on each, you'll see an emblem for one of the 12 disciples. You’ll also find a motif representing apostle Paul above the main door.

Sculpture

On the grass outside the chapel sits a sculpture of Jesus washing the feet of his disciple. Created by Hu Ke, an artist from Shanghai, the work captures the spirit of equality, humility and service as exemplified by Jesus Christ according to the Bible.

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