Parish Church of Saint Barbara

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Açores > Lajes do Pico > Ribeiras > Santa Bárbara

Location

The Parish Church of Santa Bárbara is located in the Santa Bárbara area, in the village of Ribeiras, in the municipality of Lajes do Pico, on the Azorean island of Pico. It stands on an elevated platform, forming a churchyard that gives it a prominent position in the parish's urban environment.

This location offers a wide perspective on the surrounding landscape, where the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean stretches into the distance and the lush green of the island's hills frames the horizon, creating a setting conducive to tranquility and contemplation.

History and Renovation

The current church, dedicated to Santa Bárbara, is a building constructed in the 20th century. Its construction began in 1962, and it was officially inaugurated on July 18, 1965. This modern temple replaced an earlier, smaller church that no longer met the needs of the growing parish community of Ribeiras.

The construction of this new church, a project driven by Father Guilherme Pimentel, reflects the intention of the time to create larger and more functional places of worship. Its design also incorporates the liturgical and architectural transformations that emerged from the Second Vatican Council, notably, for example, in the arrangement of the main altar, which moved forward to precede the triumphal arch.

Architectural Features

The Parish Church of Santa Bárbara stands out for its 20th-century religious architecture, characterized by the simplicity of its lines and the functionality of its design. The floor plan features a single rectangular nave, culminating in a semicircular chancel, which is slightly lower and narrower. The entire building is enriched by rectangular sacristies attached on both sides, and also by a baptistery and a deep side chapel, both semicircular in shape, on the right side.

The facades, plastered and painted white, are highlighted by gray stonework elements, such as the quoins and the plinth, and are topped by a concrete cornice. The main facade, crowned by a Latin cross, is marked by a pointed arch portal with a concave plan, surmounted by a circular oculus that provides natural light to the interior. The bell tower, square in configuration and with decorative battlements, rises with notable verticality within the overall construction.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt