The Christ Statue at Garajau in Madeira
On the Ponta do Garajau headland in Madeira is a huge statue of Christ, with outstretched arms, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Erected in 1927, the statue looks out towards the sea some 180 metres below.
The spot where the monument stands was well chosen as it was intended to be visible to vessels visiting the port of Funchal a few miles west along the coast.
The monument was constructed as a thanksgiving.
Today, the Ponta do Garajau has undergone major redevelopment work and the statue is just one of a variety of tourist attractions in the area.
Click the links for a Christ Statue tourist guide and Christ Statue video.
Account of the 1927 Inauguration
Statue Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The statue dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Ponta do Garajau was inaugurated on Sunday, 30th October 1927.
Councillor Ayres Ornelas and his wife, D. Maria de Jesus de Sousa Holstein de Ornelas, funded the building of the monument as a thanksgiving.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the municipal bands of Camacha, Câmara de Lobos and of Santa Cruz were grouped behind the monument. Their instruments, polished and sparkling, flashing in the sunlight.
The Dignitaries Present
The dignitaries attending occupied a position of importance on the terrace surrounding the monument.
Then, the Bishop of Funchal made a ceremonial entrance, with the bands playing as he greeted the other notable guests.
At the start of the proceedings, the Bishop of Funchal was flanked on his right by his attending vicar. Also to the Bishop's right stood:
- His Excellence, the Civil Governor
- Captain Jaime Leal, representing the Military Governor
- Captain Abel Magno de Vasconcelos, President of the General Board
Immediately on the Bishop's left was Councillor Ayres de Ornelas. Next to the Councillor stood:
- Senhor Conego
- Dr. Manuel Gomes Jardim
- Senhora D. Maria de Jesus de Sousa Holstein de Ornelas, the Councillor's wife
- Senhora D. Luiza de Ornelas
- Senhora D. Maria João Zarco of Ribeiro Municipality
Those in attendance stood respectfully as Mass was celebrated by the Vicar of Caniço. It was noted that the dignitaries retained an almost military poise.
As the Vicar of Caniço finished his duties, it is said that the crowd started religious chantings.
The bands then struck up their music again as, with the ringing of bells filling the air, the Bishop of Funchal proceeded to bless the statue.
Councillor Ayres Ornelas' Speech
Then, with the blessing complete, silence spread across the gathering as Councillor Ayres Ornelas stepped forward to make the main speech of the ceremony. He is said to have spoken with a vibrant, strong and heart-felt voice.
First, he explained that it was only due to the exceptional occasion, for which he was responsible, that meant he could use words of such solemnity.
Referring to Pope Pius XI's first encyclical, Ubi Arcano Dei Consilio, Councillor Ornelas condemned secularism and stressed that God and religion lay the foundations of society and without those foundations man was but an animal.
Mentioning Pope Pius XI's encyclical, Quas Primas, Councillor Ornelas went on to say that the Reign of Christ could not be abolished and the Feast of Christ the King that was celebrate everyday could not be allowed to cease.
Councillor Ornelas then went on to say that this monument, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was promised by his wife and himself during a most difficult crisis in their lives. He now bowed before the Providence that brought his crisis to an end through the Feast of Christ. [It is not said what that crisis involved. But, it can be assumed, that the assembled gathering were fully cognisant of the Ornelas' recent tribulation.]
Thus, Councillor Ornelas built the monument on the land where, for five centuries, sixteen generations of the Ornelas family have lived. He now being the only remaining representative of that family.
It was also hoped, the Councillor continued, that this monument, devoted to the Sacred Heart, would help to maintain the faith of the Madeiran people and help them cross the moral cataclysm which humanity was facing.
The Civil Governor then spoke and there followed a blessing of the statue with a chalice of holy water.
There was said to have been a bustle of photographers and cinematic operators present to record the event.
Adapted from a contemporary account printed by The Diário de Notícias, 1st November 1927.
The Commemorative Plaque
The commemorative plaque on the base of the statue reads:
D. ANTONIO PEREIRA
RIBEIRO
BISPO DO FUNCHAL
LANCOU A BENCÃO SOLEMNE
A ESTA ESTATUA DO
SAGRADO CORAÇÃO
DE JESUS
EM 30 D'OUTUBRO DE 1927
FESTA DE
CHRISTO REI
This translates to:
D. Antonio Pereira Ribeiro, the Bishop of Funchal, undertook the solemn blessing of this statue of the Sacred Heart Of Jesus on the 30th October 1927, Feast of the Christ King.
In this context, it is believed that D. Antonio Ribeiro refers to D Antonio Ribeiro, the Cardinal of Lisbon. Although, it is unlikely that he attended a relatively minor ceremony - especially as the contemporary reports do not mention his presence.
Madeira Features
C.S. Maritimo in Europe
C.S. Maritimo, who play their home games at Funchal's Estadio dos Barreiros, have regularly entered the qualifying rounds of the Europa League competition.
On the evening of 29th July 2010, they enjoyed one on their best European displays when they beat Bangor City 8-2 in the Europa League 3rd qualifying round.
Valdecir Tcho, Liandro Danilo Dias and Baba Diawara each scored twice with the other goals for the home team coming from Elias Kanu and Philipe Fidelis.
It was indeed, a memorable performance.
C.S. Maritimo then went on to win the away leg 2-1 to complete a 10-3 aggregate win.
Funchal's Gate Varadouro
The Old City Gate was originally constructed in 1689 as part of Funchal's fortifications.
That Funchal needed protection from pirates and foreign aggression was in little doubt. The city was often attacked by marauding forces from passing ships.
Finally, the fortification became largely redundant in the late nineteenth century and the gate Varadouro was eventually dismantled in 1911. Fortunately, key aspects of the gate and its design were preserved. Then, in 2004, to contribute to the city's 500th anniversary celebrations, Funchal's Gate Varadouro was rebuilt in its original location.
