The very VIP lounge

By Ferran Tarradellas i Espuny

Kraainem (31 March 2006).- 
The VIP lounges are rooms were important people spend the often long and useless minutes that passengers have to endure before boarding a plane. These exclusive rooms are reserved for authorities, top managers, wealthy people and show business’ stars. But there is another lounge with the most important Person, open to everybody.

In the new Terminal A of Zaventem airport (the one for EU flights) this exclusive facility is located at the beginning of the long corridor that leads to the boarding gates. Two escalators bring the VIPs to their reserved area. Surprisingly they are not on the top of the building, because the last floor is reserved for the Most VIP of the Universe. Poor and rich, economy and first class passengers are equally welcome there.

A sign “cultes” indicates where the highest place (not only physically but also spiritually) of the terminal is located. A Catholic chapel shares a long corridor with worship rooms for other denominations (Protestants, Orthodox) and other religions (Muslims, Jews). The Catholic chapel is dedicated to “Notre Dame de l’aviation”. It is a very simple place: a dozen of chairs in front of an altar made of aircraft pieces. At the right of the altar the Most Important Person, Jesus, is waiting for the visits of travellers around the world inside a contemporary Sagrary. More to the right, an image of Virgin Mary, offering the Divine Child to the world. The decoration is completed with a contemporary painting which displays the legend “Ubi lux, ibi Deus” (Where the light is, God is there), which invites meditation. Bibles in English and French, are available for the visitors.

At the contrary of the stressful areas of the airport, the chapel of “Notre Dame de l’Aviation” is silent and peaceful. It offers an excellent possibility of having a quite moment of prayer, a real luxury compared with the hectic and rushing world downstairs. Some times, there are other travellers praying in the chapel. They are in silence, with their hand-luggage next to them. In my opinion, the airport chapel is a beautiful metaphor of our life in this world. In our life-travel is sometimes difficult to find some time of peace and quite to pray. But the Lord is waiting for us in the most unexpected places. There we can meet, maybe for a very short period of time, our brothers in faith and pray with them and for them before getting back to our normal lives. 

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