Basilicas in Northern and Western Africa

I blogged about the following basilica on April 1, 2020.

• Cathedral Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity in Onitsha, Nigeria.

I blogged about the following basilica on April 25, 2020.

• St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica in Kumasi, Ghana.

I blogged about the following basilica on March 1, 2021.

• Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima (Chaldean) in Cairo, Egypt.

 Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, Algiers, Algeria

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius IX in 1875.

The Neo-Byzantine Basilica was built between 1858 and 1872.  The basilica has a silver dome with smaller half-domes.  A frieze of blue and white mosaic runs around the building, which also has a bell tower.  The interior is highly decorated and includes 46 stained glass windows.  The Basilica is viewed as a symbol of religious tolerance in Algeria, whose population is predominantly Muslim.

 

The first two pictures are from Pinterest and the last two from Wikipedia.

St. Augustine Basilica, Annaba (Hippo), Algeria

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius X in 1914.

The Basilica was built between 1881 and 1900 on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.  It is dedicated to St. Augustine who was Bishop of Hippo in the 5th Century.  The Basilica was built with stone imported from France and employs Roman, Byzantine, and Arabic architectural styles.  The Basilica is the Pro-Cathedral of the Diocese of Constantine-Hippone.

 Pictures are from Flickr, Pinterest, and Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Ouidah, Benin

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1989.

The Basilica was built between 1903 and 1909 to serve as the cathedral for the Apostolic Vicariate of Dahomey (now the Diocese of Porto-Novo).  The Neo-Gothic church was built during the time of French colonization.  The church has an unfinished bell tower.

The first picture is from a local source and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of Yagma, Yagma, Burkina Faso

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2013.

A Marian shrine was erected in Yagma in 1967 and it quickly became a pilgrimage site—Pope John Paul II went on pilgrimage there in 1990.  The current church was built between 1992 and 2013 and is located on top of a hill and can seat 2,200.  The shrine was particularly popular for Catholics and non-Catholics during the time of a Marxist government in Burkina Faso (1983-1987).

The top picture is from the basilica website and the bottom picture is from a local source.

Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

The Basilica, modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, is one of the largest churches in the world.  It was built between 1986 and 1989 and has the largest dome in the world.  The Basilica can seat 7,000 and hold 18,000.  The church has over 90,000 square feet of stained glass, more than any place else in the world.  The stained glass was made in France and features Christian themes.

The first two pictures are from a local source, the third from Pinterest, and the last from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Cairo, Egypt

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1972.

The Basilica was built between 1931 and 1932.

Pictures are from a local source and from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, Navrongo, Ghana

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

The Basilica serves as the Cathedral for the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga in northern Ghana.  The church was built by the White Fathers in 1906 and expanded in 1920.  The walls are made of mud, thus the church is nicknamed the “Mud Cathedral.”  The walls are decorated not only with Christian themes, but also scenes from everyday life. 

 The first three pictures are from local sources and the last is from Wikipedia.

St. Joseph Basilica, Elmina, Ghana

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007.

A mission was established in Elmina in 1880 by Dutch priests and the current Basilica was built in 1890.  It was the first Catholic church built in Ghana.

 The first two pictures are from the basilica website, the third is from Flickr, and the last from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus, Nandom, Ghana

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

The granite Basilica was built between 1934 and 1936.  The Neo-Gothic church covers over 12,000 feet and was once the largest church in West Africa.  Nandom is a Catholic city in a region that is largely Muslim.

All pictures are from local websites.

Basilica of Our Lady of Deliverance, Popenguine, Senegal

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

The Basilica was built between 1888 and 1988 and is the primary Marian shrine in Senegal.  Many pilgrims come to venerate a Black Madonna.

 Pictures are from Alamy, a local source, and Wikipedia.

Former Basilica of St. Louis of Carthage, Carthage, Tunisia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XV in 1918.

The former Basilica of St. Louis served as the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Carthage during its existence from 1884 to 1964.  It is built near the site of the death of Saint and King Louis IX of France, who died in 1270 during the Eighth Crusade.  The building was constructed between 1884 and 1890 and uses Gothic and Byzantine styles, with some Moorish elements as well.  It covers over 19,000 square feet and has a central dome, eight bell towers, 174 marble columns, and 284 stained glass windows. The building was given to the Tunisian government in 1964 and has been used as a cultural hall since 1993.

 

The first picture is from Pinterest and the rest from Wikipedia.