Saturday 26 December 2015

OUR LOCAL CHURCH

There are 139 churches in Venice, but our 'local' parish church is the Chiesa di San Moisè,  dedicated to Moses, since Venetians, like the Byzantines frequently accord the patriarchs and prophets the status of sainthood.

Originally built in the 8th century, the church  also honours Moisè Venier, the aristocrat who funded the reconstruction during the 9th century. Elaborately decorated in the Baroque-style (its frontage features camels among myriad embellishments!) San Moisè shares its small campo with the Teutonic Hotel Bauer and the emporia of Prada and other peddlers of the chic...

This year, at night it is bathed in icy blue light...


On Christmas morning, the small local community boasted a two-women choir who sang the mass with more musical beauty than the full choir of the Basilica had managed to muster on the previous eve!

Appropriately for so elaborate a church, their Christmas crib is hardly understated...


Photos: © Brian Sibley & David Weeks 2015

No comments: