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      The Chapel of the Blessed SacramentThe Chapel where daily Masses and smaller liturgical services are held at Carmel Mission is named the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. It is the second structure by that name to be built at the Mission - the first ultimately proving to be too small for the growing war-time population of the area. The building housing the chapel incorporates portions of the original structure of the Mission Hostel (Guest-Quarters)- the oldest standing masonry structure in the state of California dating to 1774. The reconstruction of this historic building to serve as a daily Mass and private prayer chapel is due to the generosity of the Late Carl Benzberg of Carmel who donated the funds in memory of his mother, Ann Sutter, whose remains lay below the sanctuary. The Chapel was decorated interiorly by Harry Downie to reflect the earliest epoch in the Mission’s artistic development when native artisans would have painted the walls under the direction of the resident Padres who culled their design motifs from textiles, rugs and geometric shapes found on ordinary household items. The painted ceiling of chevron embellished beams and the "diaper-patterned" plank boards are borrowed from the original décor of the Mission Dolores in San Francisco. The beautiful altarpiece is meant to invoke the late-baroque period of Mexican artistic heritage when this Mission was founded. That period relied heavily on intricate carving and gilded embellishment to adorn the surfaces of the altars and church furnishing. Housed in the center of the baroque – style reredos is a thirteenth century diptych of the Twelve Apostles from Northern Europe. It had been donated to this mission at the time the Chapel was built and Downie incorporated it into the Altar-piece. On the walls of the Chapel are the Station of the Cross designed by Downie to appear as painted by a Native California Artisan. They are the work of the noted American Artist, Mark Adams. In the rear of the chapel is a beautiful reed organ of golden oak that dates from around the year 1900. It brings to mind that the original organ of the Mission Church was also a small reed organ of this type. The chapel is open for weekday services and Masses (7am, 12 noon and 5:30pm) and it is also available for private prayer and meditation. Its simple beauty has made it the preferred location of many smaller weddings and religious services. by Sir Richard Joseph Menn, G.C. St.G.G. |
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