The Church of São Caetano (Portuguese: Igreja Paroquial de Lomba/Igreja de São Caetano) is a 17th-century church located in the civil parish of Lomba in the municipality of Lajes das Flores, in the Portuguese island of Flores, in the archipelago of the Azores.
| Church of São Caetano | |
|---|---|
| Church of St. Cajetan | |
Igreja de São Caetano | |
 | |
| 39°24′6.3″N 31°9′23.3″W / 39.401750°N 31.156472°W | |
| Location | Flores, Western, Azores |
| Country | Portugal |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Revivalist |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Angra |
History
editIn 1698, the parish of Lomba was created, and was associated with the probable construction of the primitive church.[1]
The first parochial registers were dated from 1701.[1]
The beginning of the rebuilding phase of the church began in 1753, that lasted until 1759.[1]
Between 1873 and 1888, a new phase of construction was initiated.[1] Father José António Camões, indicates that the church had a rector with a stipend that included 5 bushels, 3 alqueires and 8 of wheat, along with 8$000 réis, along with a treasurer supported by a bushel of wheat and 6$000 réis, supported by a contribution of 2$000 to the factory.[1]
A new period of restoration and construction initiated in 1880, that ultimately lead to the church's re-consecration on 24 February 1886.[1]
Architecture
editThe church is implanted behind a small courtyard and comprises a single-nave extending to a narrower corp (corresponding to the presbytery) and annexes that included the sacristy and annexes off the principal space.[2] The building is constructed in masonry stone plastered and painted white, with the cornerstones, pilasters, entablatures and frames in stonework.[2]
The principal facade, which includes a belfry/steeple, is divided in three sections by entablatures (on the first floor an architrave, simple frieze and cornice and the second by just frieze and cornice) and in the three sections by a vertical pilasters (with plinths and capitals on the ground floor).[2] The ground and first floor are complemented by arched windows; the first floor marked by rectangular doorway flanked by two windows and the upper floor with three windows corresponding to the openings on the ground floor.[2] Over the main door is a cartouche with the sculpted 1888.[2]
The main door opens to a small narthex, that corresponds to the perimeter of the tower, that extends to the windbreak.[2] On either side of the narthex is a compartment accessible from the nave: opposite the epistole side is the baptistery and opposite it is winding staircase that leads to the high-choir and belfry.[2] The choir, in wood, occupies the area at the front of the nave (over the windbreak) and is counter curved, protected by a guardrail of balustrades. It is preceded by a vestibule that is under the narthex and whose vaulted covering supports the belfry.[2]
The walls of the nave have, on either side, a door that connects it to the exterior and three high windows.[2] Opposite the epistole, to the right of the door, is a pulpit with large stone corbel and balustrade guardrail in wood.[2] The door to the pulpit is the only one with double lintel surmounted by cornice. To the right of the pulpit is a door that leads to the sacristy.[2] On angles to the nave, flanking the triumphal archway of the presbytery are retables, positioned on 45 degree angles.[2] Within the main chapel, on either side, are doors that connect to the sacristy and storage annex.[2] The lateral retables and principal chapel are gilded Revivalist decoration and partially painted, while the ceiling of the nave and presbytery are decorated in wood.[2] In the sacristy is a chest of drawers and other Modernist furniture, in addition to a wood staircase that provides access to the pulpit.[2]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d e f Noé, Paula (2011), SIPA (ed.), Igreja Paroquial de Lomba/Igreja de São Caetano (IPA.00032437/PT072003060009) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 22 December 2016
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o DRC, ed. (9 November 2003), "82.8.58 Igreja de São Caetano", Inventário do Património Imóvel dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo (Azores), Portugal: Direção Regional da Cultura
Sources
edit- Gomes, Francisco António Nunes Pimentel (1997), A ilha das Flores: Da redescoberta à actualidade (Subsídios para a sua História) (in Portuguese), Câmara Municipal de Lajes das Flores
- Câmara Municipal, ed. (1997), Revista Municipal (in Portuguese), Câmara Municipal das Lajes das Flores