Saint Benedict's Painted Church

Photos: Darrell Grindstaff

Saint Benedict's Painted Church continued

During his stay in Tahiti, Velghe had learned that pictures were an excellent means of teaching the gospel to Polynesians who didn't read. So, Velghe painted key scenes from the Bible onto the interiors of his churches to impress the lessons of Christianity and Catholicism. History indicates that Velghe painted such scenes inside two churches in Tahiti, but any record of the work and the churches has long since disappeared.

Velghe carried this teaching method to Kona, spending innumerable hours painting the interior of Saint Benedict's Church and a second church in the nearby community of Hoopuloa. The latter church was destroyed in 1951 when Mauna Loa erupted, spewing tons of fiery lava across Hoopuloa and endless acres of neighboring land. Whether it was fate, accident, pure coincidence or Providence, that eruption made Saint Benedict's Church the only existing church outside Europe that is graced with the masterful folk art of Father John Velghe.

Previous Page
More Hawaii Attractions

An interior view of Saint Benedict's Painted Church.