楊艷
位于江北區(qū)江北嘴桂花街41號的德肋撒堂,原名博濟堂,修建于1855年。曾歷經(jīng)數(shù)次重修,是重慶首座按原樣整體搬遷的教堂。1988年12月,被認定為區(qū)級文物保護單位。
博濟堂原址位于江北城米亭子13號,為李方濟神父所購的民房。1927年,法國籍重慶教區(qū)主教尚維善號召教友捐資改建,1928年落成,改名德肋撒堂。
這是一座因還愿而斥資重新設(shè)計和改建的教堂,與著名的重慶“三三一”慘案有關(guān)?,F(xiàn)德肋撒堂管理負責人胡良春告訴記者,當年尚維善跪在教堂里整整一天一夜,為大家默默祈禱。并許下誓言,如果大家躲過這場災(zāi)難,將派專人設(shè)計,由教會籌集資金改建老教堂。值得慶幸的是,外籍傳教士及教友幸運地躲過了這場災(zāi)難。于是,就有了現(xiàn)在的德肋撒堂。
2005年重慶修建江北嘴中央商務(wù)區(qū),這座百年老堂按照原樣同比例放大保護性遷建至江北嘴中央商務(wù)區(qū)中央公園內(nèi),毗鄰重慶大劇院、重慶科技館。原教堂及附屬房屋801平方米,現(xiàn)為1356平方米,是一座中西結(jié)合的建筑。據(jù)介紹,除教堂主體結(jié)構(gòu)和外貌保持原樣以外,原教堂院壩中的一口圣水井也整體搬遷至此。建筑外墻所用的深灰色墻磚及室內(nèi)重要物品,全部來源于老教堂。
當年修建教堂時在法國定制的銅鐘至今還完好無損。記者登上27米高的鐘樓,看到了這座直徑0.56米、高0.54米的銅鐘,上面刻著鑄造時間“1928年”。據(jù)了解,這是天主教重慶教區(qū)所轄教堂保存下來為數(shù)不多的銅鐘之一,也是德肋撒堂鎮(zhèn)堂之寶。銅鐘至今還在使用,每天準確報時,悠揚洪亮的鐘聲數(shù)里外可聞。
此外,教堂還有一件“寶貝”,一臺來自荷蘭的“樂器之王”電子管風琴,音量洪大、音色優(yōu)美,特別適合為教堂婚禮演奏。
現(xiàn)在的德肋撒堂內(nèi)部裝飾華麗精致,氣氛莊重肅穆,到教堂及周邊的中央公園拍攝婚紗照的新人也很多?!坝袝r一天就有近10對新人在教堂舉行婚禮,也吸引了大量游客來此游覽,已成為重慶旅游打卡地?!焙即悍Q,作為涉外教堂,德肋撒堂已是重慶市對外交流的重要窗口之一。
Teresas Church, located at No. 41 Guihua Street, Jiangbeizui, Jiangbei District, was originally named Boji Church and was built in 1855. It has been rebuilt for several times and is the first church in Chongqing to be relocated as a whole. In December 1988, it was identified as a district-level cultural relics protection unit.
The original site of Boji Church was located at No.13 Mitingzi, Jiangbei City, and was a private residence purchased by Priest Li Fangji. In 1927, the French bishop of Chongqing, Shang Weishan, appealed to the church members to donate funds for the reconstruction. It was completed in 1928 and renamed Teresa's Church.
It is a church that has been redesigned and rebuilt because of prayers related to the famous "March 31th" tragedy in Chongqing. Hu Liangchun, the current manager of Teresas Church, told the reporter that Shang Weishan kneeled in the church all day and night, praying for everyone. He also made an oath that if everyone escapes this disaster, they will send someone to design and the church will raise funds for reconstruction. Fortunately, the foreign missionaries and church members escaped this disaster. Hence the present Teresas Church.
In 2005, Chongqing built the Jiangbeizui Central Business District and this century-old church was relocated to the Central Park of Jiangbeizui Central Business District with the same scale as the original, adjacent to the Chongqing Grand Theater and Chongqing Science and Technology Museum. The original church and its ancillary buildings, previously 801 square meters and now 1356 square meters, is a combination of Chinese and Western architecture. According to introduction, in addition to that the main structure and appearance of the church remain the same, a holy water well in the original church courtyard has also been relocated here as a whole. The dark gray wall tiles and important indoor articles used in the exterior walls of the building all come from the old church.
The bronze bell customized in France during the construction of the church still remains intact. The reporter climbed up to the 27-meter-high bell tower and beheld this bronze bell with a diameter of 0.56 meters and a height of 0.54 meters, with the casting time "1928" engraved on it. It is learnt this is one of the few bronze bells preserved in the church under the supervision of the Catholic diocese of Chongqing, and it is also the treasure of Teresas Church. The bronze bell is still in use today, telling the time accurately every day, and the melodious and sonorous bell sounds can be heard even several miles away.
Besides, there is a "treasure" in the church, nicknamed "King of Musical Instruments" - electronic pipe organ from the Netherlands. The sounds are produced by a copper or wooden sound tube. The volume is thunderous and the tone is beautiful, making it specially apt for church weddings.
Now the interior of Teresas Church is magnificent and exquisite, and the atmosphere is solemn and serene. Many couples visit the church and loiter in the surrounding central park to take wedding photos. "Sometimes up to 10 couples hold weddings in the church in one day, and it also attracts a large number of tourists to wander off. The church has become a tourist must-go destination in Chongqing," Hu Liangchun said. As a foreign church, Teresas Church is already one of the important windows for foreign exchanges in Chongqing.