The Italian Chapel in Orkney

One of my favourite places is the Italian Chapel on the tiny island of Lamb Holm on Orkney. It stands alone beside a concrete statue of St George, facing mainland Orkney across a stretch of water called Kirk Sound. It is approached from a road on a causeway which provides a route between mainland Orkney and the islands to the south.

Although the chapel has many of the features which you would expect to see in a Catholic church, closer inspection shows that first appearances can be deceptive. If you look at the photograph of the interior you will see a painting of the Madonna and Child surrounded by cherubic figures with the scroll inscribed ‘Queen of Peace pray for us’...