The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul ( Dutch Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskathedraal ) is a wooden cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church , located in the central part of the capital of Suriname Paramaribo . It is the largest and highest wooden structure in the Western Hemisphere , in which the bishop of Paramaribo performs the service.
| Cathedral | |
| Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul | |
|---|---|
| niderl. Sint-petrus-en-pauluskathedraal | |
 | |
| A country |  Suriname |
| City | Paramaribo |
| Denomination | Catholicism |
| Diocese | Diocese of Paramaribo |
| Architectural style | |
| Architect | France harmes |
| Established | |
| Building | 1883 - 1909 |
| Status | acting |
History
In 1809, the theater of the Dutch Jews "De Verrenze Phoenix " was erected in the capital. In 1826, local Catholics adapted it to church needs. After decades, the number of Catholics in the city increased significantly and it became almost impossible to accommodate them in the church. In 1858, a diocese was formed in Paramaribo and, by order of the bishop, the architect Frans Harmes designed the building of the future cathedral. In 1882, the diocese decided to erect it. It was laid on January 30, 1883 . The consecration of the cathedral took place in 1885 . The construction of church towers was completed only in 1901, the gate - in 1909 . Initially, only freedmen and contracted workers visited the religious building.
The first restoration in 1977 was so unsuccessful that the building soon became dilapidated and tilted, termites wound up in the cathedral. After the completion of the extensive restoration in 2002, the cathedral was again brought into good condition. In 2007, with the financial support of the European Union , the restoration of the exterior of the cathedral began, and on November 13, 2010, the cathedral continued to function. In 2014, Pope Francis awarded the cathedral the title of the small basilica , the only one in Suriname.
Decoration
The interior is made of unpainted cedar wood. The cathedral contains 2 rooms for confession. The Dutch missionary Peter Donders is buried in the basilica.
The length of the cathedral is 59.1 m, the height of the room for worshipers is 14.6 m, the width is 16.5 m, the height of both towers to bronze crosses is 44 m. It accommodates 900 people.
There are 3 bells in the west tower. The weight of the smallest - Alfonso is 222 kg, the average - of Roses - 413 kg, the largest - of John - 827 kg.
The organ was made in Germany. Initially, the number of its pipes was 1550, but over time, many of them were stolen. Thus, the cost of the body amounted to 400 euros, but after the restoration of the cathedral rose to 10 million euros.
Links
- Kathedraal St. Petrus en Paulus Paramaribo - Suriname (nid.) . redemptoristen.nl . Province St. Clemens (April 1997). Date of treatment June 23, 2017.