Church of Our Lady of Piety

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Very close to the Tribal Museum on the road to Sayali stands a grey coloured structure called the Church of Our Lady of Piety.

This church is made of stone and is painted grey in colour. The border on the stone is white. Most Portuguese churches are made of mud, but this is the first one I had come across that was made of stone.

Church of Our Lady of Piety

The church was constructed in the year 1897. A hundred years later, in 1997, an extension was added. The church is very small and has no pulpit; the main altar is small and beautifully carved out of wood and varnished in brown. A huge main altar, and side altars and a pulpit are a constant in all Portuguese churches. I wonder why this one was constructed differently.

The road outside is abuzz with heavy traffic, but all the noise and cacophony just fades out once you step inside this church. Sitting here is so peaceful that I feel totally cut off from the outside world.