The Beauty of Churches by Gabrielle Bremer

Porto, Portugal During the day, thousands of people flocked to the Chapel of Souls in Porto to see the infamous azulejos. However, at 6:30 a.m., the street was empty. Only a lone street cleaner and I were on the street where the grand church stood.

**Note: This photo has been published in American University’s literary journal, AmLit.

Bucharest, Romania The Orthodox churches in Bucharest had some of the most beautiful and vibrant frescoes I have ever seen. The rich blues, oranges, and reds were colors I haven’t found in many Catholic churches.

Luxembourg, Luxembourg After graduating high school in May of 2017, my best friend and I left our small town in northern Minnesota for a summer of gallivanting around Europe. We found this church at the top of the hill one morning in Luxembourg, completely empty. I snapped a few pictures of my friend while she was saying her morning prayers.

Assisi, Italy I visited the Basilica of Saint Francis one chilly February weekend during my study abroad semester in Italy. Pilgrims, nuns, and monks walked the grounds of the Basilica and sang hymns at the tomb of St. Francis.

Belgrade, Serbia In the Serbian Orthodox crypt underneath the Temple of Saint Sava, a golden chandelier lit up the walls, which were full of frescoes that depicted various saints and martyrs.

 BIO: Gabrielle Bremer fell in love with traveling at 16 years old when her aunt took to Italy. Since then, she has traveled to more than 20 countries, most of them by herself. When she isn’t traveling, Gabrielle is studying journalism, graphic design, creative writing, and religion at American University in Washington, D.C.