Holy Cross Church, Hanga Roa
| Holy Cross Church | |
|---|---|
| Iglesia de la Santa Cruz | |
 | |
 | |
| 27°08′54″S 109°25′27″W / 27.1483°S 109.424065°W | |
| Location | Hanga Roa |
| Country | Chile |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Tradition | Latin Rite |
| History | |
| Dedication | Holy Cross |
The Holy Cross Church[1] (Spanish: Iglesia de la Santa Cruz), also known as the Catholic Church of Hanga Roa, or simply the Hanga Roa Church is a Catholic Church in Te Pito Te Henua Street[2] in the city of Hanga Roa,[3] the capital and greater city of the Easter Island, a Territory of Chile[4] in the Pacific Ocean. The church was established in 1937, its first priest being Father Sebástian Englert.
The interior of the Holy Cross Church includes locally-carved representations of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and Christian saints. The building is notable for its external decoration: its façade combines Christian religious motifs with native elements. The church is set in surrounding gardens.
Masses are said in Spanish; hymns are sung in the Rapa Nui language. The church's religious services are attended by both local Catholics and tourists attracted by the architecture of the site.
History
[edit]The Holy Cross Parish was established in December 1937[5] and belongs to the Diocese of Valparaíso. The church was founded thanks to the efforts of missionary Sebastian Englert.[5]
Architecture and Furnishings
[edit]The church building is an example of syncretism – a combination of Catholic motifs with local traditions.[5] This is evident even on the facade, where a horizontal band features Christian symbols, such as the Ten Commandments tablets, keys to heaven, and angels, while the columns display island symbols: figures of Tangata manu, fish, and the manutara bird.[5]
The interior of the church is simple. Inside, near the entrance, there are sculptures depicting Archangel Michael and St. Francis of Assisi.[5]
The upper part of the baptismal font is decorated with symbols of rongorongo.[5] On the left side of the church, there is a sculpture of the Sacred Heart, with Jesus’ face resembling a moai kavakava and a reimiro (a traditional crescent-shaped ornament) on his chest.[5] Nearby, there is a tabernacle sculpted from a tree trunk, decorated with plant motifs.[5] The cross above the main altar is made of volcanic stone, while the figure of Christ wears a headdress made of shells and bones.[5]
To the right of the main altar is the sculpture of the Our Lady of Rapa Nui.[5] The figure, created in 1970, is considered the first Christian image made on Easter Island by local artisans.[5] Mary's figure is styled like a moai, with a crown made of shells topped by the silhouette of a manutara.[5] Her eyes are made of shells with pupils of obsidian.[5]
The church also contains sculptures of St. Rose of Lima, the Holy Family, and the Holy Spirit.[5] The sculptures in the temple are made of wood and represent an attempt to integrate local tradition with Christianity.[6]
Liturgy in the church is conducted in Spanish, but hymns are sung in Rapanui.[5]
Burials
[edit]See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Hanga Roa, iglesia, caleta, tahai". www.turismoisladepascua.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ "El Pueblo – Isla de Pascua". www.portalrapanui.cl. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- ^ Oliveros, Jesús Conte (1 January 1994). Isla de Pascua: horizontes sombríos y luminosos : historia documentada (in Spanish). Centro de Investigación de la Imagen. ISBN 9789567473014.
- ^ Benson, Andrew; Graham, Melissa (3 August 2009). The Rough Guide to Chile. Penguin. ISBN 9781405383813.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Holy Cross Church". Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Honga Roa". Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "El Pueblo" (in Spanish). Portal Rapa Nui. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
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