Chapel sexton gives tour of building's gems

"Ah, yes. Bern. He's the guy with the broom upstairs," a man in the Chapel said. As predicted, that is exactly how I found Bernie LaFleur: holding a broom as he diligently swept pine needles from the carefully placed Christmas trees. But LaFleur could have been holding a chalice, a menorah or a vestment.

As one of the two sextons at the University Chapel, LaFleur is responsible for overseeing the inner-workings of this grand structure that commands McCosh courtyard. Recently, LaFleur, holding a rather extensive collection of keys, led me on a tour of the Chapel, describing his work as we opened hidden doors, crept up stone stairways and peered in dark corners.

Beginning our tour after the Christmas trees had been successfully installed, and ending just in time to set up for that afternoon's mass, what is particularly striking about spending an hour with LaFleur is his schedule and the incredible organization it takes to keep it. To provide for continuity in running events and to allow for both sextons to work during the busiest days of the week, LaFleur works for 10 days followed by four days off. During the weekends, he prepares for Sunday services as well as the four or five wedding ceremonies that take place in the Chapel each weekend. As the week progresses, he sets up for the various services and special events, each requiring a different set of candles, icons, decorations or sacred items that constantly change in accordance to the calendars of the many faith traditions represented in the Chapel. In between, and aside from his part-time work for Public Safety, LaFleur sees to it that the table linens are properly washed, the front candles are symmetrically placed for visitors to admire and that everything from the lights to the locked doors are in their proper positions.

As LaFleur describes his role in the Chapel, he not only displays dedication, but also reverence for what he does. His calm, peaceful countenance is perfectly in tune with the sacred spaces in the Chapel. LaFleur appreciates the subtleties, admiring a particular hanging light fixture — "It's simple, but it's one of my favorites," he said — or a remarkably bright stained-glass window. His eyes light up as he describes his next project of suspending the advent wreath in the center of the aisle. "You cannot see what supports the wreath when you first enter the Chapel."

As he unlocks a cabinet housing numerous chalices of varying colors, sizes and levels of decoration, he tells me that one of the most rewarding aspects of his work is learning about — and respecting — the different faith traditions. "You can never learn enough about religion," he said, "and we try to keep the sacredness of each one."

We commenced our "insider" Chapel tour in the Dean's Study. As the door opened, the light flooded through the windows. "It's nice in here, isn't it," said LaFleur, smiling, as he mentioned that it is from this room that grooms emerge before wedding ceremonies. Weaving in and out of doors and up and down stairs, at one point we descended down a stairway in the front of the Chapel and found ourselves returning to ground level at the main entrance. LaFleur pointed out the hidden spots within the Chapel's walls, including the room housing a flag that flew over the White House during Woodrow Wilson 1879's administration, the passages used by the organist that connect his office to the organ, and the dirt "graveyard" where the skull that is mounted on the Chapel for the annual "Phantom of the Opera" concert is kept.

Through his years of working in the Chapel, LaFleur has collected favorite stories from the visitors that admire its hidden treasures. He recalls in particular the visitor that glanced at a tapestry tucked away in a shadowy corner. "It's 17th century Persian," he said. LaFleur additionally enjoys the array of Orange Key tours and children's Bible school groups that admire the organ played in Princess Diana and Prince Charles' wedding and the stained glass windows, the poet's window among the most popular.

We admired the view from the small tower that overlooks McCosh courtyard. "You feel small up here, don't you," LaFleur commented.

But, perhaps most impressive were the organ pipes. LaFleur suitably described them as "immense," as they extend behind the highest row of pillars near the roof of the Chapel and weave through the basement — "the crypt." When the pipe organ strikes its first chords, LaFleur can hear from his office the enormous turbines forcefully pushing the air which, LaFleur said, "sounds like a jet engine."

The Chapel requires the efforts of many dedicated individuals to keep up with its constant use. When I sat down with Dean of Religious Life Tom Breidenthal in his Murray-Dodge office, he stressed the volume and variety of religious services, musical programs and sacred ceremonies that share the Chapel space.

Breidenthal in particular said he appreciates the Chapel as a peaceful space for a diverse array of services in which both students and members of the larger Princeton community gather. He believes the Chapel fosters an "ongoing relationship" between students and the University — as alumni return year after year for weddings, of which there are two to five each weekend, and baptisms.

In describing his vision for the Chapel, Breidenthal hopes students will come in and "make the space their own."

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"The most important part of the Chapel is what is behind the scenes," he said, referring to the sincere dedication of LaFleur and his coworkers, "but the Chapel belongs to everyone."