Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique (Algiers)

 Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique (Algiers)

North of Upper Town

Open: 11am- 12:30pm and 3- 5:30pm

 

Description of Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique

Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique or Our Lady of Africa is a Roman Catholic Church that was constructed in Algiers overlooking city below. Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique was built between 1858 and 1872 under supervision of a French architect Jean Eugene Fromageau. He designed his magnificent cathedral in a Roman and neo- Byzantine architectural style. The site of Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique is chosen effectively. It stands on a 124 m (407 feet) high cliff overlooking the Bay of Algiers. It was constructed from sandstone, decorated with blue and white mosaics and topped by a large dome with a silver cross. The interior of Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique is richly decorated with religious paintings, mosaics, stained glass, columns and arches. The apse of the altar is decorated with an inscriptions dedicated to Holy Virgin asking for her prayers for Catholics and Muslims alike. The courtyard of Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique has a statue of an "African Queen", a monument to the Catholic missionaries who came to Algiers to spread Christianity. You can reach the church by a funicular from the bottom of the hill.

 

History

The chapel and the pilgrimage
A bronze statuette of the Virgin Mary, a copy of an original work created by Bouchardon in 1750, was offered in May 1840 to Mgr Dupuch, first bishop of Algiers. It was placed in the monastery of La Trappe de Staouëli in Bouchaoui.

Following the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854, his successor, Bishop Pavy, decided to build a large pilgrimage church at Notre-Dame. He moved the statue to a chapel, inaugurated on September 20, 1857. The feast of Our Lady of Africa was held on April 30.

 

Construction

Bishop Pavy, of Lyon origin, intended to build "another Fourvière, near Algiers!" On February 20, 1858, he began building the church. It was entrusted to Jean-Eugène Fromageau, chief architect of the diocesan buildings of Algeria. It was completed in 1872. Bishop Pavy, who died in 1866, is buried in the choir.

The building was consecrated on July 2, 1872, by Monsignor Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers. He transferred the statue of Mary there on May 2, 1873. On May 4, 1873, the church hosted a "provincial council of Africa", bringing together the bishops and abbots of Algeria, the first meeting of this type in modern times.

Both buildings were founded on the initiative of Cardinal Lavigerie, the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) (1868) and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa or White Sisters (1869) were entrusted with the custody of the sanctuary.

Pope Pius IX grants Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique the title of basilica; it was consecrated on April 30, 1876.

 

Restoration

Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique was severely affected by the earthquakes of May 2003, which also left 3,000 dead, especially in the town of Boumerdès. Restoration work began in 2007 under the leadership of Bernard Lefebvre, rector of the basilica. The inauguration took place on December 13, 2010. The work was the subject of funding shared between the European Union and the French State to the tune of 1 million euros, from French local authorities (the Provence region). Alpes-Côte d'Azur, the Bouches-du-Rhône department and the city of Marseille) up to 440,000 euros each and the wilaya of Algiers up to 600,000 euros.