Churches across the World

We invite you for a tour of sacred places. Since long - churches, temples, pagodas were an inspiration for extraordinary endeavors and herculean efforts..... 

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    .... They were a quintessence of human imagination, ingenuity and skills.

Honestly, these days looking at the silhouettes of churches quite often I question myself how such “bare hands” achievements were possible centuries ago if even today with all the modern machinery and knowledge many of these structures will be a real engineering challenge.

That is why there is so much of what you can see in the Free Church Pictures and Photos to appreciate – for some just pure beauty and elegance of forms or an engineering concept, for others the internal ornaments and spirit of the special place….. I’m pretty sure that everybody can find something for her/himself to admire, to respect, to feel…..

New York City - St Patrick Cathedral 

View on the St. Patrick Cathedral from the Rockefeller Center

In the middle: Monument of Elizabeth Ann Seton (born on August 28, 1774 – left this world on January 4, 1821)  inside of the St. Patrick Cathedral.

Ann Seton is the first native-born American to be declared Saint by the Vatican's Congregation of Faith .

Next to the monument we can contemplate the deeply thoughtful words dedicated to Saint Ann:

Lord God, You blessed Elizabeth Ann Seton with gifts of grace as wife and mother, educator and foundress, so that she may spend her life in service to your people. Through her example and prayers, may we learn to express our love for You in love for one another …..

"...our love for one another...." - I stayed silent for long minutes thinking that if this will happen to all of us,....OK, OK, may be just to most of us, well, even only some of us.... the Whole World will be a much better place to live....
May be I can spread these words to a much larger audience than just those visiting the St Patrick's Cathedral?


To see and read more about NYC click: NYC City Pictures
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Havana (La Habana) - Cuba

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I guess we always underestimate the Cuba. Turns out that the St. Nicolas Cathedral - is a gift from Cuban people. On January 25, 2004 - the day of cathedral's consecration by Patriarch Bartholomew, Fidel Castro personally handed out the keys....
BTW – there is a commemorative plate on the church’s wall memorizing this event.




To see and read more about Havana click: Tour of Havana City 
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Santa Cruz - Tenerife (Canary Islands - Spain)
Iglesia de la Concepción (Church of the Conception)

Iglesia de la Concepción (Church of the Conception) is one of the most important religious and historical monuments on the Canary Islands. The original building from 1500 dedicated by its founder Juan Guerra to the “Santa Cruz” (Holy Cross) was destroyed by a fire in 1653.

 Santa Cruz de Tenerife: altars of the Iglesia de la Concepción

Soon after, the reconstruction works started. The new church was built in a Tuscan architectural style but with very strong Canarian elements like for example a large wooden balcony - normally unseen in religious structures.

In the 2nd half of 18th century the church’s tower was added.

Although the structure of the original church was lost in the fire, fortunately most internal elements of decoration of religious, historical and artistic importance was saved from the disaster.

That is why today the church contains an important collection of religious art from the Canarian patrimony.

Here you can find the Cruz de la Conquista and the statue of the Virgin of Consolation - brought to the island by Fernandez de Lugo in 1496, or the pulpit – noteworthy for its carvings by the local artist from Tenerife - Rodriguez de la Oliva.

The altars are real masterpieces – especially the one in the Chapel of the Carta dedicated to San Matias by its founder – captain Matías Rodríguez Carta.

Another treasure – the 16th century Cristo del Buen Viaje, understandably the most important Patron of every expedition at those uncertain times.

San Cristobal de la Laguna - Tenerife (Canary Islands - Spain)
Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion

Photos from the church "Our Lady of the Conception" - Laguna.

The church- dated from 1496 holds many remarkable pieces of religious art.
On the pictures above you can see the astonishing work by the French artist Verau - the pulpit carved in cedar.
Other treasures include - the large container for baptismal water made from the 15th century ceramic from Seville, outstanding silver work and many wooden carvings representing the best of European and local art from those times.


To see and read more about Tenerife click: Tenerife Pictures

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