|
The Church of São Mateus ((ポルトガル語:Igreja de São Mateus)) is a Baroque church in the civil parish of São Mateus da Calheta, in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The church is the major rural temple on the island of Terceira, and one of the larger churches in the Azores. Apart from its apparent volume, the church is marked by several carvings on its main facade, that include the three of the Cardinal Virtues, while its two lateral bell towers are unique in the archipelago for its size and pyramidal spires. ==History== The first nucleus of the community settled in the area of ''Poço da Luz'', in the 15th century, then a low and marshy area, separated from the sea by a coastal barrier of boulders built by the tide. The first documented reference to the existence of a church came from Pedro Cota da Malha on 6 February 1557, then resident of Quinta da Prainha.〔 He verified that the Church was in construction in the ''Ponta de São Mateus''. In 1560, the settlement was elevated to the status of ecclesiastical parish, and the first reference for the new parish of São Mateus da Prainha in 1568.〔 But, it was only in 1641 that the first records were issued by the parish.〔 Yet, between 1694 and 1700, the Church was demolished and reconstructed in the interior, while a cross was erected in the church courtyard to represent the place of the old chancel.〔 Friar Agostinho de Monte Alverne, writing in 1695, stated that the parish included a vicar and treasurer serving a community of 100 buildings and approximately 250 residents.〔 By 1700, the church building project was concluded, it would later being referred to as the ''Old Church'' ((ポルトガル語:Igreja Velha)).〔 On 28 August 1893, this Church was hit by a tempest, leaving it roofless and causing its abandon.〔 On 21 September 1895, the cornerstone was placed to launch the building of a new church on land donated by a benefactor, in the interior of the community and away from the sea.〔 The project was authored by António Baía Paixão, a functionary in the Office of Public Works in Angra ((ポルトガル語:Obras Públicas de Angra)), with the assistance of Father Manuel Maria da Costa. It was the largest project for the period and covered an area of : the largest rural temple on Terceira and one of the largest in the Azores. For that reason, it had many critics whom protested its construction until its completion (and even after). The magazine ''O Tempo'' of Angra, journalist Gil Vaz lionized its construction, stating: :''"Breaking the beauty of the landscape, a monster exists on the rock, collosal and slothish, between the white of the village and breathtaking blue of the cove. It is the new church of São Mateus. That temple deformed and arrogant gives me the impression of an insult to small houses that surround it, the working classes who inhabit."''〔Gil Vaz (1908)〕 A similar opinion was manifested by the author Raul Brandão, who in his celebrated ''"Ilhas Desconhecidas"'', discoursed on the contrast between the opulence of the church and the poverty of its community. The final project was concluded in 1911, after the tragic death of the project's coordinator. Even with a one million escudos subsidy from the government, and several donrations from the community, the project still was over-budget, coming in at approximately 46,295,277 escudos.〔 On 4 June 1911 (Pentecost Sunday) the Church was blessed by Canon Antonio Maria Ferreira, proto-notary apostolic ''ad instar'', then titular vicar ''sede vacante'', since tensions between the fledgling Republican regime and Vatican did not permit the nomination of bishops.〔 Lastly, the bells in the belfry were acquired in 1922.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Church of São Mateus da Calheta」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|