The Emperor's Throne

By Michael Gorre

“You are very fortunate to visit the Cathedral of Aachen today,” exclaimed our tour guide. “Three days ago, we took down all the scaffolding from a five year cleaning project.” Light streamed through kaleidoscopic stained glass windows, causing the multi-colored marble walls and sacred mosaics to glow. Transported into a world somewhere between the spiritual and the terrestrial, we pilgrims gazed heavenward with our souls uplifted. We stood in the chapel of one of the greatest monarchs of history, a monarch whose influence would provide the spiritual and cultural impetus for the Middle Ages.

Charles the Great, better known as Charlemagne, was the first ruler to unify western Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Pope Saint Leo III crowned the Frankish king inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Christmas Day in the year 800 A.D., making him the first Holy Roman Emperor. Hailed as the “Father of Europe,” Charlemagne led the spiritual and cultural ascension of Medieval Christendom.

What material do you think Charlemagne used to build his throne?

We stood in Charlemagne’s imperial chapel built under his direction, now the Cathedral of Aachen, Germany. Soon we reached the great emperor’s throne in a section overlooking the main body of the octagon-shaped nave. Our guide pointed to the simple stone throne, “What material do you think Charlemagne used to make his throne?” Someone suggested it was some rare marble. The contrast between the homely, beige stone and the rest of the cathedral stumped us. Endeavoring to raise our considerations to a different level, our guide inquired, “What in Charlemagne’s mind was the most precious thing on earth?” A pause ensued as we wracked our brains. What could it be? “To Charlemagne,” our guide continued, “the most precious thing on earth was something touched by Our Lord Jesus Christ. He built his throne from pieces of the floor of Pontius Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem, the floor on which Our Lord stood during His Passion.”

We stood in reverent awe at our guide’s revelation. I thought to myself, “Not only are we fortunate to be here after the cleaning was done on the cathedral, but we are blessed to have a rare guide with flight of soul.” Pointing at the dome above Charlemagne’s throne to the mosaic of the Emperor of Emperors looking down from His heavenly throne, our guide concluded, “Charlemagne’s vision for the Empire was based on the Person of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Roman Empire was the fruit of His Passion and Cross.” ■