Our Lady of Heliopolis Co-Cathedral

Our Lady of Heliopolis Co-Cathedral,[1] also known as the Latin Cathedral of Our Lady of Heliopolis, or the Basilica of the Holy Virgin,[2] is a Roman Catholic church building, located on Al-Ahram Square in the Heliopolis neighbourhood of Cairo, Egypt.[3]

Our Lady of Heliopolis Co-Cathedral
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
RiteRoman
PatronMary, mother of Jesus
Location
LocationHeliopolis, Cairo
CountryEgypt
Geographic coordinates30.0936°N 31.3252°E / 30.0936; 31.3252
Architecture
Architect(s)Alexandre Marcel
StyleByzantine Revival
Funded byÉdouard Empain
Groundbreaking1911
Completed1913
Direction of façadeSouthwest
Website
www.labasilique.org

Alexandre Marcel designed the cathedral in a Byzantine Revival style, based on the Hagia Sophia. It was completed in 1913.[4] A crypt within the cathedral houses the remains of its financer, Édouard Empain, and his family.[2][5]

A co-cathedral since 2008, it follows the Roman Rite under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of Alexandria of Egypt (Vicariatus Apostolicus Alexandrinus). In 2014 members of various Christian denominations gathered at the site to pray for the country's future after the events in the Arab spring.[6]

See also

References
  1. Cathedral of Our Lady of Helipolis
  2. Meinardus, Otto F. A. (1977). Christian Egypt, Ancient and Modern. American University in Cairo Press. p. 328. ISBN 9789772014965.
  3. Meinardus, Otto F. A. (2006). Christians in Egypt: Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Communities Past and Present. American University in Cairo Press. ISBN 9789774249730.
  4. Turrel, Denise (2003). Villes rattachées, villes reconfigurées (in French). Tours: François-Rabelais. p. 258. ISBN 9782869063303.
  5. Thompson, Hugh; Folklard, Claire, eds. (2001). "Giza and Heliopolis". Egypt (2013 ed.). Dorling Kindersley. p. 137. ISBN 9781409386490.
  6. "Agenzia Fides, News". www.fides.org. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
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