The Our Lady of Grace Cathedral
() also called Cathedral of Batafá,
is a religious building that is affiliated with the Catholic Church and is located in the town of
Bafatá
Bafatá is the second-largest city in Guinea-Bissau, known as the birthplace of Amílcar Cabral. The town has a population of 22,501 (2008 est). It is the capital of Bafatá Region as well as the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bafatá, w ...
in the region of Batafá one of those that make the African country of
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, is a country in West Africa that covers with an estimated population of 2,026,778. It borders Senegal to Guinea-Bissau–Senegal border, its north and Guinea to Guinea–Guinea-Bissau b ...
. This is one of the two cathedrals that exist in that nation, the other of which is dedicated to Our Lady of the Candles found in the capital,
Bissau
Bissau () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Guinea-Bissau. it had a population of 492,004. Bissau is located on the Geba River estuary, off the Atlantic Ocean, and is Guinea-Bissau's largest city, major port, its administr ...
. The building is more than a cathedral; it is more like a parish church in Portuguese colonial style.
The name Our Lady of Grace (''Nossa Senhora da Graça'') for cathedrals is common in several of the former Portuguese colonies, examples of this Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace in
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two archipelagos around the two main isla ...
and the pro-cathedral of Our Lady of Grace in
Cape Verde
Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...
.
It is a temple that follows the Roman or Latin rite and serves as the seat of the diocese of Batafá (''Dioecesis Bafatanus'') covering more than half the country and was created in 2001 by the Bull ''"Cum ad fovendam"'' by
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
.
See also
*
Catholic Church in Guinea-Bissau
The Catholic Church in Guinea-Bissau is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.
In 2020, over 31% of the country's population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church (including Portuguese Guinea-B ...
*
Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, São Tomé
The Our Lady of Grace Cathedral (), also called Cathedral of São Tomé, is a church in the city of São Tomé, capital of the African and island country of São Tomé and Príncipe. It is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of São Tomé a ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, Church
Roman Catholic cathedrals in Guinea-Bissau
Bafatá