Damaged chapel deconsecrated

A historic Anglican chapel damaged in Canterbury's 7.1 magnitude earthquake was hastily deconsecrated before being torn down.

The chapel, at Christchurch's Churchill Court aged care facility, suffered irreparable damage in Saturday's devastating quake.

Bishop Victoria Matthews said she had almost no warning that the chapel had to be demolished.

''So instead of wearing her episcopal robes as she pronounced the final, formal, poignant prayer of deconsecration, she was wearing a yellow hard hat and a raincoat,'' the anglicantaonga website reported.

Bishop Matthews was on a pastoral visit to the resthome when a structural engineer declared the chapel a severe hazard.

As the excavator waited, all the religious fittings - including robes, chalices and patens, altar rail, and commemorative plaques - were quickly removed.

Churchill Court residents were now forced to eat their meals in a corridor, after their dinner room - which adjoined the chapel - was also deemed unsafe.

The church was built more than 100 years ago as part of St Saviour's orphanage.

- NZPA

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Bill Simpson   #1   08:01 pm Sep 09 2010

A sad story indeed. Thankfully, there was no loss of life.

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