Church of Quinchao 1.69

The Iglesia de Quinchao is located in the village of Quinchao, in the Chiloé Province, Los Lagos Region, Chile. It is one of the main stops on a pilgrimage path on Chiloé.It is one of the 16 Churches of Chiloé, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was declared one of the National Monuments of Chile 26 July 1971.The patron saint of the church is Our Lady of Grace, whose feast day is celebrated on December 8. On this day hundreds of people flock to the village of Quinchao to participate in the Our Lady of Grace Festival, one of the most important religious festivals on the archipelago of Chiloé. This is the main religious festival on the archipelago after that of Jesus of Nazareth in Caguach.This church leads one of the 24 parishes that form the Diocese of Ancud.LocationThe Church boasts a front esplanade that serves as an ample atrium. It runs parallel to the sea, about one block from the coast.ConstructionConstruction of the church as it originally stood concluded in 1880, using wood from cypress, canelo and avellano trees. The church has subsequently undergone numerous restorations, particularly in the years 1906, 1960, 1993 and most recently in 2010. This church and the Church of Santa María de Loreto, Achao are the only churches that remain of those built by the Jesuits.