Friday 7 September 2012

So simple yet so inspiring

Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine

I always wanted to see inside and the doors were open for Heritage Open Day. The shrine has been deconsecrated and volunteers want to restore it to its former glory for use in the community.


It's a serene 1950's building ...


... with very modern clean lines. The white bits in the ceiling are lights.


Light streams into this building through windows set within stone frames.


Mosaics cover the pillars ...


... and are set into the floor.


Most of the church is in shades of white - a white altar ...


... with white angels



... and white pews.


It does need restoring but peace and tranquility could be seen and felt in every area. Window shapes were so simple yet so beautiful.





Door shapes too.


Let's hope that grants are secured to resurrect this lovely building.



Even the outside was serene.



More information can be found here and here.

It's such a shame that vandals stole the copper off the roof a while ago. A neighbour of the church saw men on the roof at 4 in the morning and immediately rang the police who arrived at 8!!! Needless to say the little dears had fled.

Welcome to my new follower - I hope you enjoy your visits.

5 comments:

  1. Areas of it remind me of Charles Rennie Mackintosh design...the windows especially. Serene indeed.
    Jane x

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  2. I always wondered what the church looked like inside. Now I do, thank you for the lovely pictures I can feel the calm and serenity coming through.
    Carolx

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  3. Beautiful. I hope it can be restored, it's such a shame when lovely buildings like this fall in to disrepair.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments. it's always exciting reading them.