September 28, 2009

CHURCH OF SAN MIGUEL

SANT MIQUEL DE BALANÇAT´s CHURCH


The September 29th the little village of Sant Miquel is celebrating their Saint patron day.
It seems that this year the weather will be not the best due a threat of storm and raining.
The white shape church of Saint Miquel is the oldest church in Ibiza after the Cathedral and in it´s origin was as well a fortress, the church dates from the XIV century.

Indoors shows a beautiness and white temple.

This three crosses, which are usually in each church in Ibiza, were very famous at the beginning of the 70´s decade due a famous turistic picture that with the name of Ibiza promote the Island all over Europe. In the picture appeared also a Ibicencan old lady entrying to the church.

In the XVII century were added two chapels on both sides of the main altar. The north chappel was called d´en rubiò and the South one was called "de Mitgorn" or "de Benirras", is also knowed as the painted chapel due the interesting paintings on their walls. The words JHS are the main motive of the paintings.





This cross is outside of the church. As all the churches in Ibiza the Via Crucis sign are located with fourteen different crosses around the church. This one surrounded by nature remains that this church is also from the country side of the Island.

This is a very curious image. Saint Vincent in this image seem a very modern image and also with great movement in opposition to the others images of the church which are quite serious.
On the main Altar of the church we can see Saint Miquel in the middle and Saint Rafael at one side and the other one is for a image of Maria Goretti a young Italian saint. Sant Miquel and Saint Rafael fest day is the same day 29th september, but for any reason the village of Saint Rafael in Ibiza celebrates it on October 24th.
There exist 7 Archangels, though in the Bible they appear three, one of them Michael. The church puts Michael first. he is represented in the art as a warlike and conquering angel of Lucifer to the one that puts the heel in the head of the wicked one. It is the angel that defeated Satan and his followers and threw them of the sky with his sword.

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