Holy Redeemer: The Church That Looks Like a Temple

A couple of years ago, I wrote a blog post about Wat Niwet Thammaprawat, the royal chapel at Bang Pa-In Palace just south of Ayutthaya. Built during the reign of the Western-minded King Rama V, this beautiful royal temple looks almost exactly like a European-style gothic church - complete with stained windows!

https://michaeldesrosiers.blogspot.com/2019/09/wat-niwet-thammaprawat-one-of-kind.html

This week, I visited the inverse: Holy Redeemer Church. This Roman Catholic church, located in downtown Bangkok, is built in the style of a Thai Buddhist temple! It's a beautiful blend of cultures and artistic styles.

Established in 1949 by the Bishop of Thailand, Holy Redeemer is unlike any other Roman Catholic church in the kingdom. While the others are in a distinct European style, Holy Redeemer is inarguably Thai, with a temple-like exterior and an unusually-joyful Jesus statue in a posture of praise rather than a typical somber Crucifix situated at the main altar.

I visited the church on one of the walks with the National Museum Volunteers. I'd always wanted to stop by to pay a visit to this unique house of worship.

The congregation of Holy Redeemer existed before the church building itself had been built. The original Redemptorist Church met in the garage of a small house purchased by the diocese downtown, and was given the affectionate nickname "Our Lady of the Garage".

Bangkok's vibrant Sino-Franco-Portuguese Catholic community grew and expanded, and soon, it was necessary to built a suitable church building. The idea of incorporating Thai architecture was suggested by Msgr. Fulton Sheen, an enthusiastic American prelate who was instrumental in establishing the church.

Today, it's definitely one of - if not the most - interesting and beautiful churches in all of Thailand!