All that glitters

Inside St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
I was certainly not struck by any modesty. None to be found. More holy than the excess (obviously), I found the art to be the holiest part. The place is beautiful. I wandered through, somewhat dazed, musing and gawking: dead popes behind sneeze covers, gold galore, flying stone saints, church leaders elevated to the highest parts of the architecture, marble inlaid in intensely detailed patterns, and the awe-inspiring (divinely inspired?) paintings by masters the likes of which the world will not know again. It was somehow horrible and, of course, utterly wonderful at the same time.

And then there was a similar feeling at the gold market in Dubai. Glory of God versus glory of man (well, ostensibly though sometimes it was hard to honestly say which was intended for which...) And there seem to be more tangible religion in the gold market - but only seemed (the veils?). Contradiction again, hypocrisy again. But beauty, again.
Human hands made both - the Basilica decor, the jewelry - from gold, nature, and element. Man and nature...praiseworthy indeed... to God, in the end.