Uncertain future for PoW church

Former PoW Mario Ferlito came up with the idea for the church

Efforts have begun to secure the future of a catholic church built by Italian prisoners of war (PoW) during WWII.

Its owner Bob Thompson, 86, intends to retire after caring for the church of the Sacred Heart in Henllan, near Llandysul, Ceredigion, for 40 years.

The PoWs transformed one of their huts in 1945 making ornaments out of corn beef tins and paint from tea leaves, clothing dye and squashed fruit.

Parish priest Jason Jones said a group may be set up to maintain the church.

Mr Thompson said he would "call it a day" at the end of the year.

The PoW's chapel was the idea of Mario Ferlito who was one of 1,000 prisoners held at camp 70 in Henllan.

There is a stark contrast between the hut's exterior and interior

It gave the men somewhere to worship and a link with home.

With limited resources Mr Ferlito even painted a mural of Christ's Last Supper on the ceiling of the hut above the altar.

Father Jones said from the outside the church was starting to show its age, but inside it was "stunning" and "very beautiful".

"It is hoped the chapel is not fated so people can hopefully continue to enjoy this little bit of Italy in west Wales," he said.

"From limited resources they used tins, wood and squashed fruit to create paint.

"One suggestion may be to create a friends of Henllan group to support and help maintain the chapel in the future."

A Mass is held at the church a few times a year which has enough room for about 80 worshippers.

For many years after the war ex-PoW's made an annual pilgrimage to Henllan where they celebrated Mass and visited former comrades who had settled in the area.

Their last visit was in the mid-1990s when Mr Ferlito was among the visitors.