Chijmes

Chijmes was originally a monastery of the Catholic Order of Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, Singapore. Today, the historic complex is a popular meeting place with a variety of restaurants and bars and an atmosphere similar to the Covent Garden in London. Both the main building of the monastery Caldwell House and the convent chapel Chijmes Hall have been declared national monuments.

The somewhat unusual name comes from the abbreviation = CHIJ Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus: The students of the Order lived and learned " at CHIJ 's " spoken Chijmes.

History

The history of Chijmes has its origins in Nicolas Barré, a Catholic priest in France. Born in 1621 in Amiens he was taught by Jesuits, the convent of Minimes joined and eventually became a professor of theology.

In order to alleviate the plight of the poor segment of the population in France, he decided in 1662 to improve their education. He recruited to women and established with them an initial free charity school in Rouen. As the supply increased, more schools were established. The success of his project aroused the suspicions of the traditional educational institutions. In order to undermine their resistance, he founded in 1666 the congregation of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus, which offered a religious framework for the work. He called his schools Schools of the Holy Infant Jesus. In 1678 he founded a novitiate on the Seine for the sisters. On May 24, 1686 Nicolas Barré died.

The French Revolution brought great changes in the social and political conditions of France. Nevertheless, the community grew steadily. Less than 25 years after the foundation offered 80 schools across France free education for the destitute. With the official recognition of the Order Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus by the Vatican whose expansion began to America, England, Spain, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand.

In Singapore, worked in the period 1839-1869 Jean Marie Beurel, priests from St. Brieuc in Brittany, in the mission. In 1849 he advised the then Governour Butterworth the foundation of a convent for girls in addition to the recently completed St. Joseph's Church in Victoria Street. The Governour refused, as his successor Blundell in 1852.

However, Jean Marie Beurel did not give up: On August 18, 1852 he purchased from its own funds for $ 4000 a house at the corner of Victoria Street and Bras Basah Road. The house was 1840 - was built in 1841 by the then famous architect Cdnan for Mrs. Caldwell. At the same time he wrote to the Head of the Order Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in France and asked for the posting of nuns for the management of the monastery.

The first posting of five nuns in 1851 was a failure: The Mother Superior died at sea, a nun got meningitis, another left the order after arrival in Singapore. Only two nuns remained, so that a renewed support from France was necessary.

On February 5, 1854 reached four other nuns from France after their six - month journey, Singapore and established there their order. Their leader, Reverend Mother Mathilde Raclot should be one of the most influential figures in the early history of the church in Singapore.

The nuns taken up residence in Caldwell House. There they awaited Spartan conditions: A bed, two mattresses, two armchairs and two chairs were all that vorfanden the four. Just ten days after their arrival, the first 14 students moved into the monastery. Two classes were set up, one for paying students and one for the poor and orphan. Also, an orphanage was opened. In addition, the monastery served as a safe haven for persecuted women.

At that time, lived less than 200 Europeans in Singapore, the least of whom were Catholic. The construction of the monastery was therefore initially very slow. However, when the number of students increased and the convent school was better known, further posting of nuns from France was necessary. 1894 were already 197 students taught in the convent, 10 years later there were 300 A secondary school was established in 1905. The Saint Nicholas Girls' School, founded in 1933, in 1949 moved to the monastery. In 1985 the school again their location and moved to Ang Mo Ko.

The first chapel of the Order was built around 1850, but was soon so dilapidated that a new building was needed. Father Beurel handed to 1860 four land between Victoria Street and North Bridge Road, which he had bought in 1840 the got into financial difficulties Raffles Institution, the Order. Thus, the outer dimensions of the monastery were - as it presents itself today - created.

The construction of the new chapel in the neo-Gothic style, was begun in 1901 and completed in 1904. As an architect, Father Charles Benedict Nain was recovered, who also led the expansion of the Saint Joseph Institution. The many architectural details in the chapel due to his work. The two-storey galleries on both sides of the chapel were added in 1913.

The events of the day in the monastery of the Order was documented carefully in diaries. A total of seven books entitled Annales de Singapour describe in French the period from 1851 until 1971. Accordingly, the monastic life was anything but quiet. The sisters had to organize the fairs and to visit, to teach in the school to keep the monastery buildings repaired and to raise funds for the activities of the monastery.

In 1983, the Order moved its activities. The last Mass in the chapel was held on 3 November 1983. Subsequently, the monastery was closed and extensively restored in the next 5 years for 100 million Singapore dollars and converted into a convention and entertainment center. 2002, the project of the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage with the Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation Award. Both the chapel Chijmes Hall and the original monastery buildings Caldwell House were declared on 26 October 1990 by the Government of Singapore national monuments.

The monastery with its cobbled paths, patios and small gardens is despite the now -recovered its ruins restaurants and bars, a place of peace within the fast-paced city of Singapore dar. addition to culinary attractions also art and craft products are offered in Caldwell Hall is an art gallery retracted. The entire complex is etc. make it a more picturesque backdrop for musicals, plays, concerts, fashion shows. The historic chapel is a place for weddings.

Swell

• Information about Father Nicholas Barre
• Side of the Infant Jesus Sisters.
• Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel Guides: Singapore, 2003, ISBN 0-7513-6999-3
• National Heritage Board (2002), Singapore 's 100 Historic Places, Archipelago Press, ISBN 981-4068-23-3
• Norman Edwards, Peter Keys (1996 ), Singapore - A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places, Times Books International, ISBN 9971-65-231-5
• Preservation of Monuments Board, Know Our Monuments