#2: St. Agnes (June 16th)

Oh Saint Agnes...I really wanted to like you. You have a cool name, you are close to the office and every time I mention this blog, your name always comes up. I even googled you the night before and read the your "appropriate for children" bio. As an aside, the appropriate for children label was a bit misleading...basically a Virginal Agnes is murdered by the King because she won't marry his son (or just sleep with his son...couldn't exactly understand her "crime" due to the child safety locks on the story).  Anyways I thought Agnes story was scary enough, even with all the vagueness, so decided that I would just stick with the "gentler' torture and murder of a young girl for her faith and thought it was best I didn't go read the full blown "adult" version.

The church itself is really pretty...smack dab in the middle of 43rd street (between Lex and 3rd). I was trying to attend the 12:35 mass, but was late (let's hope I am not late to every single of the 98 masses for this project). I fall into the NYC trap where everything is so close, so I think getting someplace will take me about half the time it really does.  I seriously have to work on that.

The inner church is big, open and air...with plain, pioneer-like pews. I am assuming the parish is very devout -- besides the Latin Masses -- there were at least six women at mass with their heads covered (and I haven't seen that many head coverings at one mass since 2nd grade at St. Teresa's in Colorado where the entire O'Toole family of five girls (three boys) attended daily mass with their parents before school. Mrs. O'Toole wasn't a fan of Vatican II obviously). Also, at least 10 people went to confession during mass...there was actually a line. There was also a giant painting above the altar of St. Agnes being welcome into Heaven...I think the side paintings depicted her non-child friendly torture and murder, but I wasn't close enough to be sure (I wanted to stay a resident of Vagueville).

Thanks Pushy Lady!

When mass was over, I tried to take a couple of pictures outside (there was another mass starting at 1:05 so I couldn't take any of the interior) but I couldn't get people to wait half a second to let me take a pic of the cool lion door handles.  Patience, people! We just left church...! So I only have one picture that works -- barely!)

Tried to get lunch on way back to office -- I remembered why I always told people I hate Midtown (which I am sure they find hilarious now that I not only work here, but live here too). Too many people, too little space. Just too hectic -- gives me heart palpitations.  I tried three places -- $0.99 pizza, a rice ball buffet and a dumpling bar but the lines were all out the door. I ended up back at work empty handed and finally bought soup from the work cafe. All in all, a pretty disappointing venture (sorry, St. Agnes).