[Anglican Communon News Service] Saint John’s Cathedral, which was under construction in the city and Diocese of Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo, collapsed without warning the morning of Aug. 14, according to Beni Bishop Cyrille Kambale Tavuirima.
The Dicoese of Beni is part of the Province of the Anglican Church of Congo.
Fortunately, no loss of life was suffered, but the damage to the cathedral was substantial and the loss of the symbol of hope it represented is a blow for the diocese and the province as a whole.
Tavuirima said, “The project to build this church dates back to around 2006, an initiative of the Kasabinyole parish. That year, the foundations were laid, and the project was due to be completed in 2007. It was not until 2017, 10 years later, that work began on raising the walls. In 2019, after my consecration and enthronement as the first bishop of the Diocese of Beni, I personally became involved in this project.”
He recalled how the conflict and unrest in the region, which has taken place for more than a decade, disrupted the construction plans considerably. “The war … has caused considerable damage to the lives of our people, including massacres, the burning of villages, looting of property and the mass displacement of the population,” he said.
“After that, around 2019, we were hit by the Ebola epidemic, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which slowed down activities for almost two years. All this caused delays in the construction process of this building. In February 2025, we completed the roof of the cathedral.”
Tavuirima said that since July, the area had been experiencing a rainy season accompanied by strong winds, and these events are believed to be the cause of the collapse.
“After the collapse of this cathedral, the faithful are truly traumatized… seeing the efforts and resources invested in this construction, which took almost 19 years, reduced to nothing,” he said.
Regarding future plans to rebuild or relocate the project, he said, “We are considering rebuilding a new cathedral. Due to a lack of financial resources, we are reaching out to all people of good faith to ask for their help… We truly need your support of all kinds to enable us to rebuild and thus begin a new journey.”
He requested prayers for the diocese and the nation, saying, “We need the prayers of our Anglican brothers and sisters, as we will be going through a difficult period due to the tragedy of the collapse of our cathedral. Please also pray for the restoration of peace in our country in general, particularly in the territory of Beni.”