Currently browsing tag

Italian Chapel

Domenico - The Hall of Einar - (c) David Bailey

Domenico

I had no expectations when I first visited the Italian Chapel in Orkney. I’d not seen any photographs larger than postage stamps …

The Italian Chapel - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Peace to you

Orkney’s Italian Chapel is a jewel, a relic, a prayer and a tiny beacon of hope. It’s also a spectacular work of …

St George - The Italian Chapel - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

St George at the Italian Chapel

There’s time for us to visit the Italian Chapel on Orkney’s tiny Lamb Holm island. It’s connected to other islands and the …

The Italian Chapel - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The Italian Chapel has twins

Orkney’s Italian Chapel was once part of a large complex of Nissen huts with tracks and gardens. For many years it has …

Antonella Papa- restorer of The Italian Chapel - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

Restoration of The Italian Chapel

Antonella Papa spent a month last year as restorer of Orkney’s Italian Chapel Antonella says: “The Italian Chapel now is part of …

Fragile and Immortal - The Italian Chapel on Orkney - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

Fragile and immortal

The Italian Chapel on Orkney’s tiny island of Lamb Holm is so fragile. These are not bricks; this is not plaster; those …

The Madonna painted by Domenico Chiocchetti - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

The words in his pocket

Oh let men, overcoming individual and national egoisms, recognise themselves as brothers, may they refrain from discord, may they love and help one another…

The Italian Chapel - AD MCMXLIV - 1944 - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

1944

Orkney’s Italian Chapel was completed in 1944. Stonemason Domenico Buttapasta laid cut and polished stones in Roman numerals to celebrate its completion. …

Coriolano 'Gino' Caprara, Roberto Pendini and John Muir - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

Making a mark

Coriolano ‘Gino’ Caprara and Roberto Pendini were Italian prisoners of war in Orkney. They helped build the Churchill Barriers which created causeways …

Coriolano 'Gino' Caprara - the Miracle of Camp 34 - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

The Miracle of Camp 34

I’m spending time with Coriolano ‘Gino’ Caparara. He’s now 96 and as smart and as funny as he ever was. He talks about his experiences as a prisoner of war held by the British in Orkney as if they were yesterday when “I learned English 70 years ago,” he says “And I never get chance use it.”

Will

Will

Will is my oldest friend, and by that I don’t mean that I’ve known him the longest; but that is also true. …