Our Lady of La Salette Cathedral
Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette
Our Lady of La Salette Cathedral
19°52′14″S 47°02′06″E / 19.87062°S 47.03498°E / -19.87062; 47.03498
LocationAntsirabe
Country Madagascar
DenominationCatholic Church
History
Founded1908
Dedicated1931
Consecrated1931
Specifications
Length60 metres (200 ft)
Width16.77 metres (55.0 ft)
Height14 metres (46 ft)
Spire height45 metres (148 ft)
Administration
DioceseAntsirabe

The Our Lady of La Salette Cathedral (French: Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette[1] is a cathedral of the Catholic Church and is located in Antsirabe, the third-largest city in the island country of Madagascar.

History

A small clay church had been established by French priest Father Dupuy prior to 1900. At the start of the century the missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette arrived in Antsirabe and in 1908 built a church that was 22 meters long, 16 meters wide, 8 meters high, with a bell tower 14 meters high.[2]

In 1921 with the establishment of the Diocese of Antsirabe, Monsignor François Dantin ordered that a new church would be built, as the previous one was too small for the growing Catholic population in Madagascar. Dantin also ordered that this church would be the cathedral for the new diocese.[2]

Father Joseph Michaud was the master builder and the architect of the new church. Monsignor Jean-Baptiste Raharijaona was the director of the project. The corner stone, imported from France, was laid in 1924. On 5 January 1925 work began on the new building. On 19 September 1931 the cathedral was officially dedicated, although the building was not yet completed. On 22 September 1931 the official benediction took place, conducted by Monsignor François Dantin in the presence of Bishop Charles Givelet, then Vicar Apostolic of Fianarantsoa, and Bishop Etienne Fourcadier, then Vicar Apostolic of Tananarive.[2]

The present day church stands 60 meters long, 16.77 meters wide, 14 meters high. Its bell tower has a height of 45 meters.[2]

In 2005 the parish celebrated its 75th anniversary.[3]

Today

Every 19 September the church acts as a pilgrimidge site in the diocese for the feast day of Our Lady of La Salette. The cathedral has mass every Sunday at 6:30 and 9 a.m.[3]

Street view of the church, looking north
Interior of the church
Street view of the church, looking east

See also

References

  1. ↑ Our Lady of La Salette Cathedral
  2. 1 2 3 4 Riri Randriamalaza (8 May 2018). "La Cathédrale – Histoire" (in French). Diocese d'Antsirabe. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Religion - Tourisme Antsirabe et les hautes terres" (in French). antsirabe-tourisme.com. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
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