Little Chapel

The Little Chapel is a small chapel in Saint Andrew, Guernsey, situated in Les Vauxbelets. It was created in July 1914, by Brother Déodat. He planned to create a miniature version of the grotto and basilica at Lourdes, the Rosary Basilica. Some articles in the Daily Mail said that it "is the smallest functioning chapel in Europe, if not the world". The chapel is non-denominational.HistoryThe chapel was originally built by Brother Déodat in March 1914 . After taking criticism from other brothers, Déodat demolished the chapel. He finished a second chapel in July 1914 . However, when the Bishop of Portsmouth visited in 1923, he could not fit through the door, so Déodat again demolished it. The third and current version of the chapel started soon after the last demolition, and measures 16 feet by 9 feet. Déodat went to France in 1939 and died there, never having seen his chapel finished.In 1977, a committee was established to restore the chapel, and today it falls under the care of Blanchelande College.In 2010, five stained glass windows were smashed, causing £3,000 worth of damage and leading to condemnation of the vandals. The windows had been smashed previously, notably three times in 2003. The chapel has been described as "probably the biggest tourist attraction in Guernsey", and "intricate".