An ancient shrine of Algiers defies time

After fourteen years of construction in the 19th century, the Roman Catholic Church, or the basilica of Algiers, takes on a symbolic and religious importance that can be summed up by the inscription on the apse: “Our Lady of Africa, pray for us and for the Muslims”.

Basma Karasha - Algiers, Eurojar

The call of former archbishop of Algeria Mgr Henri Teissier to renovate the church of Our Lady of Africa reached well the ears of local and foreign authorities. Financial and technical support was rapidly provided to save this ancient and immaculate Christian shrine from falling down. Efforts from the European Commission delegation, Algiers district and the French government, local and regional authorities, as well as private Algerian and French companies among others, succeeded in consolidating Euro-Mediterranean cultural ties, and beyond that, in reinforcing religious dialogue and tolerance. This Euro-Mediterranean cultural dialogue embodied the concept of “being different and living together”: being different in religion, civilization and culture does not mean that worries and aims must be different as well.

Our lady of Africa is one of Algiers symbolic and religious monuments. It is located on the north side of Algiers on the breathtaking cliffs of Bologhine. This church is around 150 years old; it was inaugurated in the year 1872, it attracts today more than 300 visitors a day or 100,000 yearly. This church is renowned for its Roman and Byzantine style, marked with an Arabic touch. Three domes are rising to the front side of the Basilica with two big doors. A tower of bells rests upon the back in the form of a Maghrebian minaret. The bronze dark-colored statue overlooks the sea as meant to be by its architect Jean Eugène Fromageau (1822-1897). A special place is reserved inside the Basilica for offerings where, for 150 years now, both Christians and Muslims congregated to thank and glorify Our Lady of Africa for her blessings, for what they are and what they have…

This church is the property of the Parish Assembly in Algiers, which was established in the year 1972, and headed then by Archbishop Henri Teissier. The latter called for the renovation of the shrine, basically following the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake, when the building suffered heavy damages and its structure became threatened of collapse. Renovation at this stage became a must since the safety of the basilica visitors was at stake.

A call from the Archbishop
When former Archbishop, Henri Teissier, called out a warning about the situation of the church, many donors responded to the call and generously supported the cause. Algiers, the European Union and the French local and regional authorities as well as the French government, among others, were all cooperative in the matter. Algeria’s state company Sonatrak and the French company “Gaz de France” contributed in finding a solution to this problem.

More than 5.2 million Euros were required for the renovation works. The European Union contributed with 1 million Euros and Algiers offered more than half a million Euros. Other provinces and cities, such as Marseilles extended a helping hand to local authorities and granted more than 1 million Euros in funds. Other donors also responded to the call, and renovation works began in the year 2007, and are expected to last for three years. Renovation will be executed in three stages in the three different architectural sections of the church building. The 46 beautifully stained glass windows of the basilica are also subject to restoration. It is worth noting that the shrine of Our Lady of Africa has undergone previous restoration works only once, in the year 1943, following the shelling of Algiers.

Workshops on the premises
The renovation of this historical building became subject for workshops to teach young Algerians new methods of restoration, and to discover the ancient expertise in construction. The company responsible for the restoration works is under the supervision of architect Xavier David, who is also supervising the renovation of the basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde in Marseilles.

Once the restoration complete, a wonderful place of worship will be open once again to the public to contemplate and admire as a major historical Algerian property. The Parish assembly in Algeria considers this project more than a cultural project: “It is more than a restoration of a house of worship. It is a symbol of cooperation between Algeria and France, as much as it is a symbol of cooperation between the north and the south of the Mediterranean. This project shows that, despite differences in culture, civilization and religion, people can “continue to live together”.

N.B: Text translated from Arabic by Eurojar team