Faithful seek R$ 200,000 to save 110-year-old church in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro In the small district of Santa Cruz da Estrela, in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro (SP), a temple that carries more than a century of history struggles to remain standing with the help of faithful. The district's historic parish church, built in 1916, was closed about four years ago after serious structural problems put the building at imminent risk of collapsing. Stage of historic moments, such as the wedding of the famous composer Zequinha de Abreu and celebrations led by Father Donizetti, the place today is the center of a large community mobilization trying to return the temple to Catholics. R$200,000 is needed to complete the renovation of the church. ? Follow g1 São Carlos e Araraquara on Instagram Risk of collapse Cracks in main church in the district of Santa Rita do Passa Quatro (SP) Ely Venancio Time and the action of nature have acted severely against the foundations of the centuries-old church. Deep cracks began to cut through the walls and floor of the temple, frightening visitors before the definitive closure. The treasurer of the Association that seeks resources for the church, Andréia Zanin Costa, recalled how the situation visibly worsened throughout the masses. "The cracks had been appearing for some time and then, as we participated in the masses, we saw that this was increasing more and more. The floor began to become very uneven, so much so that people were tripping over the cracks", he said. The problem, of a geotechnical nature, was caused by water infiltration under the temple. One of those responsible for the assessment explained the physical phenomenon that almost brought the church to the ground. "What caused the structural problem here was the percolation of water into the ground, which washed away the soil. That's where the church gave way. The risk of falling was very high," said architect Aldair Alves da Silva. Zequinha de Abreu and Padre Donizetti Old photo of the main church in the district of Santa Rita do Passa Quatro (SP) Reproduction/EPTV Far beyond a space for prayer, the church is a cultural heritage of the interior of São Paulo. Retired Janice Soares de Campos keeps in her memory the family stories that intersect with great names in the country's religious and musical history. She reports how Father Donizetti, famous for his miracles in Tambaú, was there. "My aunt got married here and the priest, who was the priest here, lived here at the time. At the time, he was very old. So, Father Dono Izete came from Itambaú to help him do my aunt's wedding." Janice also points with pride to the church's neighborhood, where one of the biggest names in Brazilian music lived: "Yeah, he [Zequinha de Abreu] was from here, right? He was born here, his house was here at the back of the church, on the other side. He was married here. He got married here in this church." Community unity and the R$200,000 challenge A century-old church is restored with the help of faithful in the district of Santa Rita do Passa Quatro (SP) Ely Venancio/EPTV Faced with abandonment and the risk of demolition, residents came together and created an association two years ago to raise funds. Thanks to donations and events, the first phase of the work — which consisted of studying the soil and reinforcing the foundations — was successfully completed, ensuring the structural safety of the building. "We did the survey, the soil study. We did the structural reinforcement, with that the report, proving that this was done, that it is safe. And then today we are in this visual renovation, repairing the cracks, doing this reinforcement. Today it is a safe building", said the architect. Despite the relief of knowing that the church is no longer at risk of collapsing, the community now faces a new obstacle: the lack of resources for the second stage, focused on finishing and internal renovation, budgeted at R$200,000. See the full report from EPTV1: Residents seek resources for a historic church closed 3 years ago in Santa Rita "We have a June festival, a fair, an auction, a raffle, a clothing bazaar. Everything comes from our actions, from volunteering too, which people help with. And we also ask on social media for amounts for donations, but for the second stage we don't have any value, not even for labor. [The budget is] around 200 thousand", explained Cássia Renata Oliveira, vice-president of the Community Association. To obtain the remaining material, volunteers have been going door-to-door in neighboring municipalities, such as Porto Ferreira, seeking support from traders and businesspeople. While the works do not progress, the parish's religious activities were transferred in an improvised manner to the district's parish hall. "God willing, I want to be alive for all this and the beautiful, wonderful church, to be able to bring the Blessed Sacrament back" said the 1st secretary of the Association, Regina Imaculada do Prado. EPTV VIDEOS: See our news on the WhatsApp channel