St. Bernard's Church, Gibraltar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Bernard's Church |
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Main entrance to St. Bernard's Church in its eastern façade
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| 36°06′51″N 5°20′54″W / 36.114299°N 5.348414°W | |
| Location | Europa Road |
| Country | Gibraltar |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
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| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar |
St. Bernard's Church is one of eight Catholic churches in Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a special territory of the United Kingdom located at the southern tip of Spain.
Contents
About St. Bernard's Church
This church is found on Europa Road. It is very close to Europa Point, which is the southernmost tip of Gibraltar. St. Bernard's is a parish church, meaning it serves a local community. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar.
The church is named after Bernard of Clairvaux. He is one of Gibraltar's two patron saints. From the church, you can see amazing views. These views include the Bay of Gibraltar and North Africa. You can even see the Jebel Musa mountain across the Strait of Gibraltar.
The Church's History
St. Bernard's Church first started as a church for the British Armed Forces in Gibraltar. The military already had churches for Anglican soldiers. They decided they should also provide a church for their Catholic members.
From Armoury to Church
A small, unused building was chosen. It was an armoury on Europa Road. This building was turned into a simple church. Royal Navy Catholic padres (military priests) led the services. Some local people from Gibraltar also attended.
Becoming a Civilian Church
Later, the British Forces decided to make changes. They thought that Gibraltar's many Catholic churches could serve their soldiers. This was because most people in Gibraltar were Catholic. Also, church services were held in English.
However, St. Bernard's already had a strong community. Most of these churchgoers were Gibraltarian civilians. There were also active military members who visited. So, it was decided that this community should not be lost.
New Management and Improvements
In the early 1990s, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar took over the church. A naval padre named Vincent Docherty helped arrange this. He made sure the priest's house and church hall were transferred too.
The church building itself needed work. It was small and had water problems. Bishop Charles Caruana helped get a loan. This loan came from the Government of Gibraltar. It allowed the church to be made into a beautiful, modern building.
First Civilian Priest
The first civilian priest for St. Bernard's was Father Francis Little. He was in charge of the church's change. It went from being a military place of worship to a civilian one. Father Francis was also the first civilian priest to be an honorary chaplain to the forces. This special role has been held by every priest in charge of St. Bernard's since then.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Bernardo (Gibraltar) para niños
