南美洲開箱文 (5) 異次元空間裡的維亞多勒羅沙
First time in South America (5) Underground tunnel to the cross
鹽之教堂（Catedral de Sal）是波哥大附近一個知名景點。這裡原本是個地下鹽礦，停產之後經過改造，變成一座獨樹一格的地下教堂，同時也是多數信仰天主教的哥倫比亞人的朝聖地。
主堂是個位在地下200公尺深處、高30公尺、長達120公尺的超大岩洞，裡面幾乎沒有聖像也沒有雕塑，只有從岩層中開鑿出的壁面整個赤裸裸的袒露著。前方有著直接從岩層中雕刻出的十字架形狀凹陷，透過裡面隱藏的燈光投射出整個空間的主題所在。
但整座教堂的精彩之處並不僅在於此。從洞口一路走到主堂，得經過約500公尺長的地道，這段地道被設計者轉化為擁有14個站點的「維亞多勒羅沙」（拉丁文：Via Dolorosa）——根據天主教傳統，耶穌從受審到被釘十字架的那段路程被稱為「維亞多勒羅沙」，又稱苦路，路上標記著14個地點，對應到耶穌走過時發生的14個事件。
在前往鹽之教堂的這段路上，設計者捨棄了傳統的宗教藝術形式，改以燈光、簡單的十字架形狀與人工開鑿的岩壁為素材，用抽象的方式重現這14個場景。舉例來說，耶穌跌倒的場景是用岩石中的裂隙來呈現，從第一次、第二次到第三次跌倒，裂隙的深度與規模也逐漸增加。朝聖者得跟著耶穌一起完整走過這14站，才會來到真正的教堂與巨大十字架所在。
異次元般的空間感與匠心獨具的光雕固然是這裡的賣點，我卻認為這座教堂最大的創新，不是以光和岩石呈現宗教題材，而是藉由這段超長的地道與14個精心設計的場景，讓每個走進來的人都不得不將步伐放慢，一站一站的停留、思考，最後帶著不同的心情來到十字架前。
Catedral de Sal is probably the most known attraction near Bogota. Originally an underground salt mine, it was later converted to an underground cathedral. The main sanctuary was a massive cave carved out of the rock: 600ft below surface, 90ft height and 360ft long. Unlike other cathedrals, you won't see many statues and icons here. Instead, the man-carved rock surface was exposed directly. In the front, a giant cross was also carved out of the rock, and is illuminated with hidden lights.
But there's more here. Along the 1600ft-long tunnel into the sanctuary, the designer put 14 stops of Via Dolorosa (the road that Jesus walked to the cross in Jerusalem). The scene at each stop was presented with light, rock and a simply cross in an abstract manner -- for example, at the 3 falls of Jesus, the fall was represented by a crack in the rock, and the size of the crack increases each time.
Most visitors are impressed by the unique experience in the underground space, as well as the delicate design of the light. As for me, however, what I like most is how the designer used the long passage and the 14 stops to force you to slow down, to pause and meditate at each stop, and finally arrive at the cross and the sanctuary in a different mood.
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