Sov nou katedral!

The Anglican Diocese of Mauritius has launched a fundraising campaign to restore St. James Cathedral in Port Louis, which is the oldest Anglican church in Mauritius, and which has fallen into disrepair in recent years.

St. James Cathedral has played a key role at the heart of the community since it was first used as a place of worship in 1832, and it is now considered as an important part of the national heritage of Mauritius. It has hosted a wide range of events in recent years, from parochial sacramental and pastoral rites to national ceremonies including the independence of Mauritius, Remembrance Sundays’ ceremonies, and also hosting royals and church dignitaries such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, amongst others. Despite its important place in the community, the building began to fall into disrepair over time.

Commenting on the restoration project, The Very Reverend Bryen Adeline, Dean of St James Cathedral, said: “We took the decision to renovate the cathedral because after 160 years the building is falling into ruin. For the past few years we have had problems with the roof leaking whenever it rains a lot. We also have termites in the building and certain areas have suffered damage which is a hazard for the public. In May 2018 we closed the building to the public to start the renovation work”.

The Anglican Diocese of Mauritius has appointed the firm Ong Seng Goburdhun Partners Ltd as Project Manager and Quantity Surveyor for the restoration project, which estimates that the project will take two years to complete, including design, tendering and construction, with a total estimated cost of MUR 80 million. The works will encompass a complete renovation of the stonewalls, roof, timber doors and windows, mechanical and electrical services and external drainage installation, to equip the building to serve the local community for the years to come.

The Anglican Diocese is now seeking to attract donations, both locally and internationally, to restore St. James Cathedral to its former glory, and has produced a fundraising video to explain the story of the cathedral and the objectives of the restoration project. The Government of Mauritius will also participate in the funding of the project.

Speaking about the fundraising campaign, The Right Reverend Ian Ernest, G.O.S.K, G.C.S.K, Bishop of Mauritius, said:
“I call upon the generosity of the public as this restoration project does not only concern the people of the Anglican Diocese, but the wider community. We have the opportunity to give a second birth to this holy place which is part of the national heritage of Port Louis. We pray God’s help is with us to discover the generosity within us, so that together the future generation is able to discover the diligence with which we have taken care of this holy place which belongs to all of us. Save our cathedral. Sov nou katedral!”

Donations to the ‘Sov nou katedral’ campaign can be made by cheque to the ‘Anglican Diocese of Mauritius’ or bank transfer or Juice transfer to the MCB account of the Anglican Diocese of Mauritius.