270: SUMMER SOLSTICES

photo taken on the Summer Solstice in 2013 on Mt. Timpanogos after sunrise 

Last year on the Summer Solstice I climbed to the top of  Mt. Timpanogos to see the sunrise. It required that I hike during the darkness of the night in order to reach the summit before sunrise. To my surprise, much of the trail was still covered in snow. I had to be extremely careful since I was not equipped with the right gear. However, the whiteness of the snow was helpful in finding my way in the dark.   It was ironic that on the longest day of the year with the most sunlight, that most of my hike was done in darkness. Also ironic was that at one of the hottest times of the year, I was hiking in snow.  Oh the irony. It reminded me of the scripture in section 95 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  "..they are walking in darkness at noon-day." I have always wondered how that is possible.. to walk in darkness at noon-day... but recently learned that it is a great metaphor for being spiritually blind.

A few days before this year's Summer Solstice in 2014, a big cold front came through Salt Lake and dumped a lot of snow in the higher elevations. The below photo is taken from my home. The next day, I left for Nauvoo and flew over the Rocky Mountains. Here is was the beginning of summer and yet it looked like it was still winter.

 

photo of Mt. Olympus a few days before the 2014 Summer Solstice

flying over the Rocky Mountains on June 19, 2014

  ...

I mention all of that this as a precursor to entering into the Nauvoo Temple on the Summer Solstice on 2014.

Historical accounts of the original Nauvoo Illinois Temple mention a skylight in the attic area where the endowment and sealings were performed. The temple was not complete however.  In the rebuilt Nauvoo temple, a similar skylight has been added. This skylight allows light from above into the Celestial Room instead of the grand man made chandeliers that we use in our modern temples.

This skylight has a large sun surrounded by 24 moons in various phases (forming an eternal ring of the moon going through its phases). These are then surrounded by eight six-pointed stars. The rugs in the room have a similar pattern on them but with some added symbols such as five pointed stars. I prefer a skylight with natural light from the sun than a chandelier that needs electricity.

The skylight on the east end of the Celestial Room in the Nauvoo Temple.