The roof trusses
As soon as winter broke, or rather, as the snowstorms became less frequent in mid-May, a crew of steelworkers arrived at the monastery to erect the roof trusses over one end of the Chapel. This would be necessary for the next step, to build the vaulted stone ceiling.
How a stone vault is built
A vaulted stone ceiling has become almost synonymous with gothic architecture, so much so that it would be hard to imagine a gothic church without one. Today it is rare to see a true stone vault built, as the craftsmanship and skill needed is hard to find. This wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle to the monks, who carefully studied the science behind vaulting and collaborated with our engineers to build a chapel that will stand for centuries.
A vaulted ceiling, at its simplest, is a series of stone arches all connected to each other to form a type of stone skeleton, making the ceiling. The work begins with the wooden underpinnings, or formwork, upon which each of these arches are built.
Once the main arches are in place they will act as the form upon which the smaller infill stones will be placed to fill out the ceiling.
The main keystone
The keystone, which is called such because it is the key that locks the whole arch together, is suspended at the top, giving the target the monks work towards as they build each arch.
The monks carved the keystones to resemble bouquets of flowers, each flower a symbol of the Blessed Virgin. The main keystone, weighing some 3500 pounds, was carved into a cluster of lilies, a symbol of the purity of the Blessed Virgin.
One by one each stone is placed on the form, and once an entire arch is complete and the keystone securely in place, the forms are relieved slightly so that the arch stands supporting itself.
The monks hope to complete the infill stones and to begin the exterior stonework before winter sets in.
We are so truly blessed by your prayers and support! Please continue to help us as we build this monastery for the greater glory of God and salvation of souls.
