The Regional Director of Culture considered the works carried out at Carmo Church in the city of Horta with the Government's support as an "emergency intervention."

These works are urgent, particularly the repair of the roof as water leakage is a problem that must be solved immediately in this type of building, mentioned Jorge Bruno at the end of a visit he made to Carmo Church this morning.

According to the government official, the Carmo Church has wood carving works of "great value"; however, some are already damaged by water leaks. In this context, this intervention is being carried out with the purpose of "halting the ongoing deterioration."

"This is a process that has yet to be solved and concluded, but it is taking place also thanks to the goodwill and commitment of the Third Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel."

At the occasion, the Regional Director for Culture stressed the fact that we are "before a building of an extraordinary architectural quality" with an "impressive presence" in the Horta building heritage. Even in the context of the archipelago, this is an "extraordinary" church among the archipelago's building heritage.

Jorge Bruno recalled the "complexity" of the problem that arises with the restoration of the Carmo Church due to the "considerable size" of the building, which "had been previously subject to some works that were not concluded." At this point, we are trying "to solve an urgent problem: water leakage.

"In the future, other interventions should be carried out in the building in order to give a new use for this church that may be open or not for worship, the Regional Director said, adding that "this subject will be considered" by the Third Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the building's owner.

The Carmo Church in the city of Horta, whose early construction dates back to the 17th/18th centuries, is considered to the first Portuguese Carmelite church to be built outside Mainland Portugal.