Banff church emerges with new hope amid pandemic after restoration
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A BANFF Roman Catholic church has emerged with reaffirmed hope amid the pandemic after a £40,000 restoration.
The transformation over summer marked the 150th anniversary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, on Sandyhill Road.
Local firms were employed on the project which began in May and was completed by July for the church reopening after lockdown on August 1.
Recently appointed parish priest Father Piotr Rytel wasted no time in getting the project off the ground when he took up the Banff post in October last year.
The upgrade involved a complete repaint of the walls and ceiling in the main body of the church and sacristy, new chandaliers and wall lighting, and a new sound system.
The work has brightened and lifted the interior, which hadn't undergone any major maintenance work for around 50 years.
Father Piotr said the fresh pale colours have lent a "more spiritual" atmosphere to the church building. He said: "It feels so much lighter and brighter. It's really beautiful and more welcoming.
"I arrived here on October 1, 2019, and when I looked into the history of the church and realised the 150th anniversary was approaching I felt it would be a good opportunity to mark this with the church renovation."
The dynamic new priest moved to Scotland from Poland in August 2013. He spent six years in Inverness as Polish chaplain at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church serving the spiritual needs of his countrymen and women living throughout the north.
He was appointed a priest under the authority of the Aberdeen Diocese. The Banff church has a predominantly Polish congregation.
Father Piotr was pleased the work had been carried out ahead of an important date next April, when the church will mark the 700th anniversary of the arrival of the Carmelite order in the area. The church takes its name from the Carmelite Monastery founded in the town by King Robert in 1321.
Banff and District SNP councillor Glen Reynolds, chair of the church Parish Pastoral Council and communications consultant to the RC Diocese of Aberdeen, said: "The restoration work is not just a testament to wonderful craftsmanship that was sensitive to the very unique demands of the church, but in very difficult circumstances, is symbolic of the pandemic times in which we live.
"We had to ensure that safety guidelines were fully complied with, effectively involving the work being carried out alone and behind closed doors.
"When the completed work was able to be unveiled, it was a stunning revelation. It is a makeover and a new normal for not just the building, but for the parish community."
An online video illustrating the work is available on the church Facebook page here.
Father Piotr has also recently been appointed to speak at the Scottish Parliament, after a nomination was made by Stewart Stevenson MSP.
