The Painted Church
It was an especially hot day when we decided to try and find a beach in which to relax for a couple of hours before evening mass at Immaculate Conception. Little did we know that we wouldn’t find a new beach but that we would end up at another church for those hours!
We had read about The Painted Church and had tried to go there earlier during the time here but it was closed. So when we saw the sign pointing the way we decided to finally check it out. According to their website…..
“Overlooking beautiful and historic Kealakekua Bay, St. Benedict’s Painted Church is a fascinating place to visit on your journey to the Big Island of Hawaii. Located in the famous Kona coffee growing region, it is the jewel of South Kona, at a place called Honaunau. While it is an important historical site, it is still a vibrant parish, with outreach programs to take care of those in need and to provide medical services for our local community.
By the mid 1880’s most of the folks had moved away from the beach to the cooler climate and more fertile soil to be found a bit higher on the slopes of Mauna Loa. Father John Berchmans Velghe, A Sacred Hearts father from Belgium, arrived in 1899 and decided to follow the local residents up the mountain slope. The folks dismantled the church and with the help of mules, moved it to its present location.
His three dimensional interior paintings were inspired by the gothic cathedral of Burgos in Spain. His painting of scenes from the bible and the lives of the saints were very important teaching tools in a time when many people couldn’t read and write.”
Fr. Velghe painted every panel in the church himself (with only house paint) and unfortunately didn’t get to finish his panels before he was called back to Belgium due to his bad health. St. Benedict’s Church, with its unique artwork, is listed in the Hawaii State Register of Historic places and the National Register of Historic Places.
We enjoyed the beautiful Catholic church and learning about its history before we headed outside to play our game and do some sketching in the shade.
