Don't forget to look up...

Next time you’re in a beautiful church, please do bow your head in prayer. But when you’re done, remember to gaze heavenward.

[See also: 21 Mesmerizing Photos of the World’s Most Beautiful Churches]

[See also: Wow! Medieval Cathedrals Used to Be Full of Brilliant Colors]

Here are 21 pictures of beautiful church ceilings. You can click on any image to enlarge it.

Enjoy!

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood – St. Petersburg, Russia

Santa Maria della Vittoria – Rome, Italy

St. Stephen’s Basilica – Budapest, Hungary

Sagrada Familia – Barcelona, Spain

Church of the Holy Sepulchre – Jerusalem

Church of the Gesù – Rome, Italy

Sainte-Chapelle – Paris, France

Tempio Civico della Beata Vergine Incoronata – Lodi, Italy

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière – Lyon, France

Horezu Monastery – Horezu, Romania

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis – St. Louis, MO

[See also: Behold, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Hidden Gem of the Midwest]

Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere – Rome, Italy

Holy Savior Cathedral – Isfahan, Iran

Hagia Sophia – Istanbul, Turkey

Isaakievskiy Sobor – St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Peter’s Basilica – Vatican City

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception – Washington D.C.

Baptistry of Saint John – Florence, Italy

Morelia Cathedral – Morelia, Mexico

Sant’Andrea della Valle – Rome, Italy

And of course…

Sistine Chapel – Vatican City