Serima Mission Church

Serima mission was founded in 1948 by the Swiss priest and architect John Groeber, who designed the church and then trained local men to carve and paint it: the doors, pillars, ceiling panels and screens are covered with figures worked in a manner that draws on both African carving and Christian iconography, and the whole interior was made on site. It is one of the more remarkable twentieth-century religious interiors in the region.

What to look for

• The carved pillars - figures worked into the columns by artists trained at the mission.
• The painted ceiling - panels covering the roof of the church.
• The carved doors - the entrance work at the front of the building.
• The Groeber project - the design and the training programme behind the interior.

When to go

April to October is the dry season and best for the road. Visits should be arranged with the mission. Services take precedence.

Practical notes

The mission is remote and the roads in are rough. Visits need arranging rather than dropping in. Some of the carving has suffered from damp and insect damage.

Nearby

Gutu is nearby, and Masvingo is southeast.