My eyes beamed as I stared at the walls, pillars and ceiling of St. Aloysius chapel- it looked as if the painter kept on painting till he attained a certain level of satisfaction because the beauty of it, was indeed captivating!
From outside it looked like any other chapel- painted in a subtle blue color with a flight of stairs leading you to the entrance. There are about five giant doors from front although it would remain closed when there is no service. At other times, a side door is open from where you can enter. The moment I entered, it felt as if I was in Rome. Yes, it indeed looked like one of those beautiful Roman chapels. Every possible space on the walls, ceiling and pillars were covered with beautiful paintings. My eyes immediately got transfixed and my heart started racing. I loved paintings and chapels were my first option whenever I wanted to make a solitary escape! The paintings took on a life of its own, it had a story to tell that drew the attention of anyone who entered the chapel. The chapel had beautiful marble pillars. I was happy as a lark but at the same time, I was very curious and wanted to know more about the paintings. So, I went outside to see if there were any pamphlets or papers which gave more information. Fortunately, I saw a person outside who pretty much knew the place inside out and I was more than a curious listener. 😉
He told me that the paintings at the center depicted the life of Aloysius Gonzaga, a saint, who lived to serve others. Bro. Moscheni from Italy was the creator of this masterpiece. St. Aloysius chapel is one of his best works! On some areas, his paintings included the life of Jesus Christ. It took Bro. Moscheni almost two years to complete this work. St. Aloysius chapel is located at the heart of the city of Mangalore (in Lighthouse Hill to be more specific) . It’s within the St. Aloysius college campus. The man told me that the church masses are usually during early morning hours and that the chapel looks its finest when all the lights are on and when the hymns are being sung!
I got goosebumps all of a sudden, as he said this with so much intensity! I realized that I had to break my irregular sleep cycle and see it for myself. Well, sadly he didn’t know anything more but I was content with the information I got. Being in Mangalore and not knowing that such a beautiful chapel exists would have been disappointing. So, I am glad that I made this short visit. Not only did I learn a little piece of history but I got such an exhilarating experience by just visiting a chapel which is literally ‘next-door’!
Mangalore is a small city with lots to offer. So stay tuned to learn more about the place!
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Lots more about Mangalore coming your way so stay tuned and happy blogging! 🙂
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