Saturday, September 4, 2010

Inside St. Catherine of Alexandria Church on Santa Catalina Island

Santa Catalina de Alejandria 28.XI.1602


"The first European to set foot on the island was Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailing for Spain. On October 7, 1542, he claimed the island for Spain and christened it San Salvador after his ship (Catalina has also been identified as one of the many possible burial sites for Cabrillo). Over half a century later, another Spanish explorer, Sebastian Vizcaino, rediscovered the island on the eve of Saint Catherine's day (November 24) in 1602. Vizcaino renamed the island in the saint's honor." [Ref. Wikipedia]


The beauty and tranquility inside the church is in large part due to the stained glass windows -- bringing the outside scenes, especially those of the nearby ocean, indoors.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

A beautiful church inside Tash.
Have a great Sunday.
Costas

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Next time I'm there I want to find this church. Did you find the ad hoc pet cemetery?

Tash said...

PA - We DID find the pet cemetery. Sort of surreal.

Steve Scauzillo said...

Love the stained glass and the shot of all of the windows from inside the church. Gorgeous.