On the morning of Thursday, 14 August 2025, Saint John's Cathedral in Beni collapsed. The cathedral, located in the city and Diocese of Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was still in the process of construction and reportedly subsided ‘without any warning signs’.
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.
The Rt Revd Cyrille Kambale Tavuirima, Bishop of Beni in the Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo, told Anglican Communion News about the process of building the cathedral to date, as well as the devastation this event has caused the local Anglican community.
The history of Saint John’s Cathedral in Beni
Bishop Cyrille stated that ‘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, ten 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.’
Bishop Cyrille recalled how the conflict and unrest in the region, which has been sustained 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.
‘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.’
Beni Cathedral under construction
Speaking of the emotional impact of the disaster after so long a journey leading to the construction of this place of worship, Bishop Cyrille said, ‘After twenty years of hard work to build this temple, to see it collapse in the blink of an eye, imagine how our hearts are affected.’
The collapse and future of Saint John’s Cathedral
Bishop Cyrille shared that ‘Since July, we have been experiencing a rainy season accompanied by strong winds’ and these events ‘are believed to be the cause of this disaster.
‘After the collapse of this cathedral, the faithful are truly traumatised… seeing the efforts and resources invested in this construction, which took almost 19 years, reduced to nothing.’
Regarding the future plans to rebuild or relocate the project, Bishop Cyrille responded, ‘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.’
Bishop Cyrille 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.’