Hi everyone!
     This is Allison Coe, posting off of Eliott's screen name because she can't access her google account (its backed up through texts and I cannot receive texts right now so this is my solution for the time being). Yesterday we went to the Convent where some of Saint Thomas Aquinas relics are kept. I really enjoyed being in this area due to the layers of historical events that this church saw. For example, Napoleon almost torn down this Convent, but instead created barracks for his soldiers to live in during his occupation of the building. Another layer is that during WWII, some of the stained glass windows were broken due to bombs. They were later replaced, some with blue glass, some with red glass, which created a cooler or warmer feel, respectively. This, I found out, was related to where the sun is during the day. The inside pillars and buttresses are representative of palm trees, something important to the area of Toulouse, and the Convent is now a religious building for most of Toulouse, occasionally used for services. There are also various fathers buried throughout the church so to be as close as they can to it and God. A meditation garden allowed those who wished to think and reflect.

     Overall, I believe this to be a great place develop a deeper understanding of religious practice, its intermingling with other historical events, and its historical meaning to the area it was created for. I was able to see great paintings, first hand symbolism, and learn some history, which I love and recall fondly from my days in high school and junior high in History Day. The events this convent was part of really struck me because it survived through these events and became a symbol of religious meaning for Toulouse. I simply really loved this place and discovering its meaning!
-APC