New Church Will Include Replica of an Ancient One

In the most striking aspect of their proposed 1,200-seat church, officials at Our Lady Queen of Angels in Newport Beach plan to build an exact replica of the Portiuncula Chapel in central Italy, the favorite church of St. Francis of Assisi.

A photographer will spend three days later this month at Portiuncula to capture the stone chapel on digital film, which will then be used to produce exact architectural plans.

“We’ll get every little nook and cranny,” Father Vincent Gilmore said. “This will be museum quality. You won’t have to go to Assisi to see what the Portiuncula looks like.”

A basilica was built around the original chapel in the mid 16th century after Catholic pilgrims threatened to overrun the tiny church.

The historical connection is in the name: the Italian church that’s home to the Portiuncula Chapel is Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, also referred to as Our Lady of the Angels.

“We want to tie into the tradition because everything around us is so modern,” Gilmore said. “We want to get that same feel.”

St. Francis had restored the abandoned chapel--which legend has it was built in 360--when he took the words he said he heard from God literally: “Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.”

The Portiuncula Chapel was the third church he restored. And it was there in 1208 where St. Francis had the vision that led his founding the Franciscan Order. He also died there.

The full-sized replica--13 by 22 feet--will be built behind the altar of the new church. It will hold the Sacraments and also be available for prayers and devotions. The chapel can hold 20 people.