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Visiting Brazil 8
We're in Rio de Janeiro. (Day 2 of 4)
This is it ~ we're here! Good Friday ~ 3:00 p.m.
Convent & Church of St. Anthony (Convento do Santo Antonio) ~ from 1592 origins ~ white church on the left
the Igreja of São Francisco da Penitência - the Church of Saint Francis of Penance, 1726 ~ center (have no photos)
Yesterday, being back at the hotel rather early, & having Taco Bell deliver (the only one in Brazil so far ~ $18.20 for the 3 of us, & huge portions), I spent several hours researching Rio churches on my cell phone via the hotel's wifi while our son booked our tour for this morning. Now, just having gotten a free city map, I laid out our Uber trail. You'd think e-v-e-r-y Catholic church would be open on Good Friday afternoon, but the 1st one we went to was closed! (Igreja da Gloria, built on one of the 4 hills in the old city that Rio was founded on in the 1500s; one of the few churches in the world almost completely covered in the blue Portuguese tiles.) What a shame to not see that one. (Uber ~ hotel to downtown $6.20)
So on to the next ~ on another of the 4 hills ~ a bit confusing as 2 churches are listed here, plus a convent & museum, but how to get up there (above photo) was a question. Only the white church on the left, Church of St. Anthony, was open for 3:00 Good Friday mass (the historical time that Jesus died). (Uber $4.00)
This is CITY CENTER ~ Carioca Square, usually filled w/100s of people. -->
So being Good Friday afternoon, evidently it's a religious holiday, at least celebrated by everything being closed down, even if the churches aren't overflowing with people! ~ ~ ~ <-------- In reading, it's said that “Carioca” means a person from Rio de Janeiro.
This is the main ground-level courtyard to the left of the main photo (at the top). Went through that arch, passing by a lady sitting on the ground at that entrance. Inside is an elevator. The man is reading a book & seemed to need to finish the paragraph before starting the elevator :).
The São Bento Church and Monastery
The 3rd & last church of the day ~ also on a hill ~ almost missed it because the Uber driver said we were at the address, but it was a military gate! I said, "Military, no," so he drove a half-block & there was a hairpin, steep drive on the other side of the military complex wall. I was thankful for the "ride" vs. an uphill hike! Service was going on here with a full church. Parents with tiny tots & strollers were in the entrance & doorways, so it was perfect to stand inside in the back corner & take some photos. Again, thanks for a cell phone! (Uber $2.20)
Saint Benedict Church & Monastery; Beginnings 1590; built 1633-71.
The interiors of churches we saw in Brazil were absolutely jaw-dropping! One description said, ". . . it is one of Brazil’s most important monuments of colonial art, . . ." & I’d add, “as a museum.” As a personal note, in 2015, I began penning Old Testament Scripture stories into 4-line verse rhyming poetry. So far I've done more than 100 detailed stories, & that was when I really learned the seriousness of God being a jealous God of wanting ALL our worship, & His detestable outrage over people worshipping/praying to (or "in the name of someone other than Him") which He called idols & idol worship. Therefore, in these “Houses of Worship,” I wonder if it’s ONLY Jesus in the hearts of the people’s worship?
a filigreed altar & rococo wooden carvings
So today when I see a church that was built in "honor" of an individual, Benedict, (vs. Jesus/God) who was a "sinful man" (Rom. 3:23), it gives me pause to hope that people who attend a church like this, understand ALL veneration needs to be given to God/Jesus/ the Holy Spirit because Jesus is the way to eternal life in Heaven. It's His death, shed blood, & resurrection, & not the ways taught by some "religions" ~ i.e. that our works get us to Heaven, ~ & they teach people to pray to or worship a former man or woman whom man, in the name of a religion, elevated to a "high place" (what the Old Test. idol worship locations were called). "Just saying!" It's your eternity. The truth is in the Bible! Check it out :).
Just think ~ no electric tools ~ all by hand! Just unbelievable.
gold leaf-gilded baroque interiors
entrance door
At this, we were calling it a day. Walking down the drive is where I picked up the unknown-tree leaf that is like a piece of burnished leather, 9" x 16". (Oh yes, all in good nature, did I hear it! - I'd be taking home bugs, bacteria, infection, whatever!!) And then I picked up 2 additional, & also, very unusual ones :). But since they were wet ~ it had rained ~ I figured I could "wash" them (I did) & they'd be good to go, right? And I got them all the way home in the large Domino's pizza box. It's all part of the journey, & this "souvenir" didn't cost a penny!
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