Our Lady of Peace Ivory Coast
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The Universal Church: Basilica Of Our Lady Of Peace, Ivory Coast

The nation of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), on the Gulf of Guinea, borders both Liberia and Ghana. Its population is mostly Muslim, with multiple ethnic groups; it gained independence from France in 1960.

Yamoussoukro is its capitol city, with a population of about 355,000 people. This city is home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace:

In this small city, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, you will find the world’s largest church by some standards: the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.  Loosely modeled on St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, it features the largest dome in Africa and one of the largest domes built anywhere in the 20th century.  By any standard it is among the world’s biggest church buildings, a testament to Catholicism in French West Africa, and also to the ego of Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the president who virtually bankrupted the Ivory Coast while building it.  Despite the cost, the basilica has become a source of national pride for the entire country, not just Catholics.  Today it is the most popular Christian pilgrimage site in West Africa.

The basilica was consecrated by St. John Paul II in 1990, making it not only one of the largest Christian pilgrimage sites in the world but also one of the newest. Unfortunately for this relatively poor country, it cost $300 million to build, doubling the nation’s debt.

The exterior of the church boasts a glass cross atop its dome more than 500 feet in height. The basilica is so large, it can accommodate 18,000 (7,000 in pews, with standing room for the remainder.) It certainly does not reflect native architecture and art; rather, it reflects Europe: over 7,000 square feet of French-made stained glass and Gothic architecture, with marble imported from Italy. The windows tell the story of God’s salvific plan for humanity:

There are four triptychs combining (sic) great theological, philosophical and moral. In the middle of each triptych, the main window is easily recognized by its arched shape, due to the large radiant rosette which dominates … [T]he four large rosettes of the sanctuary are four cardinal virtues … Christian morality: Justice (stained glass Our Lady of Peace), [Fortitude] (the glorious Christ), Temperance (original sin), Prudence (the baptism of Jesus). The colors and patterns unique to each triptych draw from Greek philosophy to evoke the four elements of Creation: air, fire, earth and water … [T]he windows also show the theological symbolism of four triptychs: the Marian triptych, Christ the triptych, the triptych of creation, the triptych of the New Covenant.

With a very small population of Catholics in Yamoussoukro, the basilica is a point of pride for the city but is often nearly empty, save for tourists.

The basilica has aroused much international controversy, for the lavish building glittering with Italian marble sits in the middle of an impoverished African city where only a minority of homes have running water and adequate sanitation …

The church is maintained by priests of the Society of Catholic Apostolate (also known as the Pallottines), who claim St. Vincent Pallotti as their founder. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace certainly has one of the most colorful histories of any Catholic church: a miniature St. Peter’s in Africa, with stunning art and architecture, a financial burden for this mostly Muslim nation.

St. Paul Outside the Walls
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The Universal Church: St. Paul Outside The Walls

Every Sunday at Mass, Catholics proclaim their faith by praying the Nicene Creed. One part of this prayer is “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.” It may seem odd that “catholic” is not capitalized here, but there is a reason behind this.

If a person of our faith is asked what church we belong to, we typically answer, “Catholic.” To be completely accurate, we’d say, “Latin Rite Catholic.” But most of us use the “shorthand” answer. However, the word “catholic” itself means “universal.” Many Christian churches are independent of all other churches and/or hierarchies, some are regional or specific to a country and others belong to specific regions of the world.

The Catholic Church, however, is truly universal. The Mass (albeit in native languages) is the same anywhere in the world. A Catholic can receive sacraments anywhere in the world from a Catholic priest. The teachings of the Catholic (Latin Rite Church) are the same everywhere. Therefore, when we pray the creed, we are saying we belong to this universal church.

In fact, one of the great things about our Church is that, no matter where we go as Catholics, we are welcome in any Catholic Church. We have much to explore. This week, we are going to be taking a closer look at a few beautiful and important churches around the world.

Today, we are going to explore the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. St. Paul, a convert from Judaism to the Catholic faith (and author of much of the New Testament) was martyred in Rome in around 61 A.D., and this church contains his tomb. (By the way, “basilica” is an architectural term, but is also used to designate a church of great importance historically.) This basilica got its unusual name because it is located outside the old walls that once surrounded the city of Rome. The original building dates back to 324 A.D., and is the home to both the Pauline Door and the Pauline Flame:

Under the portico of the Basilica it was opened a door dedicated to “Apostle to the Gentiles, that port has been named PAULINE DOOR. Through the door, all the pilgrims can enter the Basilica of San Paolo and reach the tomb. The decoration of the PAULINE DOOR recalls some great moments in the life of “Apostle of the Gentiles, St. Paul and has been decorated by the great Veroi sculptures.

In the tradition of the Church, each pilgrim can share in this gesture of light, close to Sao Paulo. By offering this candle we join ourselves to those communities which Paul visited and these same candelabra in the churches of “Pauline itinerary. This flame of prayer and communion was ignited by the Holy Father June 28, 2008, on the occasion of the “opening of the Pauline and is nourished daily by the monks of the” Benedictine Abbey.

While many of us will never get the chance to see this extraordinary church, so important to the early Church and to believers today, we can take a “virtual tour,” thanks to the wonders of our digital age.

Regardless of where we travel or live, we belong to a universal Church. Whether we find ourselves in a tiny mission church here in the States or an ancient church steeped in history, we are “home” in any Catholic church. And who doesn’t like to explore a bit?