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Churches of San Andreas: The good, the bad and the cursed.
Written by: John Strickland
Date: 17/06/2018
San Andreas has a long and rich religious tradition. While most people these days are secular or choose to keep their faith private, you will still find many communities of various confessions, and equally, a fair portion of important churches that warrant our attention. Even if you are not a church-goer yourself, it has to be admitted that some of these buildings are architecturally stunning. And not only that; many of them have an interesting history behind their existence. One that's not always positive, as this article shall reveal to the reader..
As the title might suggest, this is an extensive case study of three churches, bought to you by the SAN News Network and unhealthy amounts of caffeine.
Date: 17/06/2018
San Andreas has a long and rich religious tradition. While most people these days are secular or choose to keep their faith private, you will still find many communities of various confessions, and equally, a fair portion of important churches that warrant our attention. Even if you are not a church-goer yourself, it has to be admitted that some of these buildings are architecturally stunning. And not only that; many of them have an interesting history behind their existence. One that's not always positive, as this article shall reveal to the reader..
As the title might suggest, this is an extensive case study of three churches, bought to you by the SAN News Network and unhealthy amounts of caffeine.
The Good: Jefferson Church.
Built after the demolition of an abandoned warehouse in 1984, Jefferson Church -known among the locals as ''The Jeff''- is a Pentecostal, inter-denominational neo-anabaptist congregation of some 400 strong. Located in the heart of a poverty and crime-stricken area of Los Santos, the church has been leading by example through an outreach program for troubled urban youths. The program, called ''4th Chances'', has been linked with a groundbreaking decrease of 15% in the local crime-rate since its launch.
Built after the demolition of an abandoned warehouse in 1984, Jefferson Church -known among the locals as ''The Jeff''- is a Pentecostal, inter-denominational neo-anabaptist congregation of some 400 strong. Located in the heart of a poverty and crime-stricken area of Los Santos, the church has been leading by example through an outreach program for troubled urban youths. The program, called ''4th Chances'', has been linked with a groundbreaking decrease of 15% in the local crime-rate since its launch.
''The Jeff'' by night
(Photo : John Strickland)
We reached out to the leading pastor, the Rev. Will Menevencis, for a comment on the success of the program. This is what he had to say:
Wise words indeed, Reverend.
The Bad: Lucifer's Church, Commerce.
A beautiful example of the colonial style? There is more than what meets the eye..
(Photo : John Strickland)
At first sight, this building stands out architecturally. Built somewhere in the Spanish colonial era of San Andreas, it bares no resemblance to it's modern, city-like surroundings, like the adjacent town hall or police station. A closer inspection of the building, however, reveals a sinister secret: This is not a church dedicated to the Almighty. It has been re-purposed to promote His eternal adversary, Lucifer!
It has been noted that ''Satanic'' churches have popped up in many other towns, and mostly, this is a parody religion, usually meant to shock and offend the decent public. However, it is strongly advised that any potential visitors approach with caution, as truly malicious groups often masquerade as part of this parody religion, pulling the old ''It's just a prank bruh'' till you wake up one full moon chained to a sacrificial altar.
The owner of the church could not be reached for comment.
The Cursed: Nuestra Señora de los Cuervos, Las Brujas.
This is one place we sincerely advise visiting ONLY during daytime hours. This infamous church in the abandoned town of Las Brujas contains the burial ground of several condemned witches, burned at the stake at the hands of a vigilante court in the late 18th century. Following these mass-executions, the entire town was wiped out the same winter due to a mysterious plague. No other nearby settlements where affected, leading to the theory that this was the revenge of the witches from beyond the grave.
Since then, many travelers have reported hearing weird noises, experiencing distortions in time and even seeing ghostly apparitions. For the sake of capturing the truly creepy atmosphere of the town, our crew braved a quick visit during the late evening hours. We didn't see anything supernatural, but who's to say there is not? the truth is out there, somewhere.
The state of Las Brujas Church and cemetery in 2018
(Photos: John Strickland)
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