Praying in the mist

The Felsenkirche

The Felsenkirche (literally translated as the Church on the Rock) was designed and built for the German Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Lüderitz. The cornerstone was laid on 19 November 1911. It’s open for visitors for an hour each day and the experience is well worth it.

Personally, I’m not really one for monuments, museums and churches – but I do like taking photos (as you may have guessed) so the majestic steeple jutting into the Lüderitz skyline was an immediate attraction.

We visited the site twice – mainly because it was when we arrived there the first time, that we discovered it was open to the public for an hour every day. (Incidentally, I’ve often photographed churches during the day in South Africa, only to find they’re preserved behind locked gates. So maybe having an ‘open hour’ is something local pastors can consider.)

If you know Lüderitz, you also know that it is frequently covered in a blanket of mist. I once camped on Shark Island, off Lüderitz, and didn’t see the sun for about three days. So it was no surprise to find the church shrouded by mist on our return visit.

In fact, the mist created a great photographic opportunity. Almost all the pictures I’ve seen show this majestic building in bright light against a clear blue sky. Very handsome indeed. But I prefer the pic I got – a hint of mystery and a suggestion that there might even be a dark history attached to the church.

Inside, the church is very much like a church – to a plebeian like yours truly. Until you look at the stained glass windows. They are magnificent. Unfortunately I didn’t have a flash with me, and the pics I took don’t do justice to the magnificent artistry that surrounds you.

All in all – well worth the visit. Take it from me.