Franciskuskapellet
Tidaholm

The Chapel Was Born from a Dream

Franciskuskapellet on Varvsberget was created in the summer of 1972 on the spot where "Espa-Lars" had his cottage. The cottage was gone, leaving only a root cellar. Vicar Åke Levenstam initiated the "construction." He had a dream of creating a roadside chapel. A new floor was laid in the root cellar, the walls were whitewashed, and an altar and benches were built. The entire community pitched in and contributed in various ways with materials and labor.

A Wayside Chapel with Summer Devotions

Franciskuskapellet has become a place of devotion where many stop to admire the view, contemplate the Bible verses on the plaques, and enjoy the serenity. The roadside chapel comes to life in the summer when there are devotions on Wednesday evenings.

Saint Francis

What does Saint Francis, who lived in 12th-century Italy, have to do with a roadside chapel on the slope of Varvsberget? Francis grew up in Umbria, a region that to some extent resembles the beauty of the landscape around Varv. His thoughts on simplicity, nature, and the environment endure. Francis and his brothers walked and evangelized as they journeyed—they were on the way. Simplicity was a path to God. Therefore, The chapel aims to be a place where simplicity still prevails today.