Cameroon: A new cathedral for the Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo
July 8th marks the consecration of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin in Maroua, a city in northern Cameroon. This event will conclude a nine-year construction project in the heart of the Maroua-Mokolo Diocese, reports Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Of the consecration, Bishop Bruno Ateba Edo says, “We are proud and happy. Finally, we have a place of worship, where we can celebrate the Holy Mass with dignity.” Previously, he explains, Mass had been celebrated either in a small and run-down church, or under what Bishop Ateba refers to as the “bio-Cathedral,” the canopies of trees.
According to the bishop, this new cathedral is “a sign of unity for all the city’s inhabitants,” adding that “in a city with over 600 mosques, it is important to show that the Catholic Church also has space in Maroua.”
Maroua-Mokolo borders Nigeria and Chad, and has been the site of multiple terrorist attacks over the years.
The diocese faces tremendous challenges. Not only is it located in one of the poorest regions of Cameroon, but it is also home to a large number of internally displaced Cameroonians and Nigerian refugees who fled their homes to escape Boko Haram. Besides the construction of the cathedral, ACN has also supported the diocese with several aid projects for refugee children, as well as a refugee camp for Boko Haram victims in Minawao.
The positive reaction to the cathedral among Maroua residents fills the bishop with satisfaction: “Everybody shares our joy, regardless of their religion.” According to ACN, the local authorities ceded land in the center of the city for the cathedral’s construction, and many locals, including Muslims, were involved in the actual building. A local artist, with the help of his students, painted the frescos that decorate the interior.
The diocese says that the new cathedral, which is dedicated to Our Lady, has room for 3,500 worshippers, and its decoration is a blend of Christian motifs and local culture. The shape of the building represents a traditional African house, and the images and frescos have an African touch. “For us, these paintings are catechetical, because ours is still a very young faith,” Bishop Ateba explains.
The main artistic themes in the cathedral are the Assumption and the maternal protection of Our Lady, and the contours of the building are meant to evoke Blessed Mary’s mantle, embracing and protecting believers. The inner columns are positioned to form the letter M, for Mary, and the four pillars that hold up the ceiling are shaped like a star reaching up, symbolizing the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Bishop Ateba is very grateful to the benefactors of Aid to the Church in Need, as well as to other aid organizations, whose combined contributions made the construction of the new cathedral possible.
The Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo was created in 1973 and covers 5,500 square miles. With an estimated population of two million people, about 40 percent of residents are Muslim, 30 percent are Christian, and another 30 percent are followers of followers of traditional African religions.
—Volker Niggewӧhner
