Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Saint Peter

The architecture of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Saint Peter?

Located at the corner of Victor Hugo street and Dupuy street in the very popular Mouillage district where boats used to moor, the cathedral is a must-see place when you visit the north of the island. You will be able to meditate there and discover its fascinating history through the centuries.

This magnificent building is made of reinforced concrete. From the outside, it is a beautiful two-story building encircled by two towers, which are on three levels.

This church is the meeting of two different eras. In fact, the lower level of its facade corresponds to the elevations that have been saved from the old cathedral of Notre Dame du Bon Port. Dame-du-Bon-Port.

While its upper level dates back to the 1923 reconstructions with its three splendid stained glass bays that are placed on both sides. You really have to see it with your own eyes to appreciate all its beauty!

Inside, on the lower level, there are two colorful statues, leaning against large pillars, representing Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus as well as Saint Peter holding the keys to heaven in his hands.

Worthy of a masterpiece!

For the record, there are three vaults under the main altar: the bishops, Monsignor Portez and Monsignor Tanoux, have been buried there since 1860 and 1899 respectively. The third vault has been empty since the end of the 19th century, because Monsignor Le Herpeur, who died in 1858, was transferred to the Cathedral Saint-Louis of Fort-de-France.

As for the stained glass windows that now adorn the place, they were not present at the beginning, nor even during the reconstruction. Installed for the centenary of the eruption of Mount Pelee, they replace, since 2006, simple colored windows. They were made by the Simon Marcq workshops in Reims, based on a work by Victor Anicet, a famous Martinique artist.

The main theme of these windows is the Resurrection of Christ.

A building full of history

Built in 1654, the cathedral was completed two years later. The first version of the church was in fact a private chapel as part of the creation of a Dominican convent. However, following an English bombardment during a battle against the French, the chapel and its bell tower were unfortunately destroyed in 1667. A first reconstruction was envisaged 8 years later, because the King of the time sent manpower, the sailors of his fleet who also received the help of the parishioners.

The church of Mouillage then takes a neoclassical style.

In 1694, it became the Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Port Cathedral in honor of the Virgin of the Seafarers. Almost a century later, in 1794, it was enriched with a sublime white marble high altar representing the Last Supper. As early as 1816, the installation of a bell tower was voted. The church was consecrated in 1859.

Our Lady of the Assumption during the eruption of 1902

The city of Saint-Pierre was completely razed in 1902, following the eruption of Mount Pelee. Many Pierrotins had chosen to take refuge there and unfortunately did not survive the catastrophe. Since it was May 8, many were already there for the Ascension prayer on that Thursday. The disaster was so devastating that even the bronze bells hanging from the bell tower melted.

The bishop of the time, Marie-Charles-Alfred de Cormont, was not present at the time of the disaster. The remains of the cathedral were then scattered all over the world. The episcopal see was then moved to Fort-de-France, to the Cathedral Saint-Louis and remains there today.

Commemorations take place, but the ruins remain abandoned: this is how looting occurs, and the marble altar is transferred to the Cluny Museum in Paris. The bumblebee was sold at auction, then offered to Pope Pius X in 1907. Finally, the stoup of the cathedral is kept in the Saint-Laurent Church in Paris.

Our Lady of the Assumption after the disaster

Little by little, the city will rise from its ashes and in 1923, become a municipality again. Important works were undertaken on the Cathedral from 1923 to 1929. Bricks and stones from the old building were reused to make a brand new building, with the addition of new bells and a new marble altar.

In 1982, after 3 years of waiting, the cathedral bell was brought back from the Vatican. It is now on display in the Franck-A. Perret museum. The co-cathedral will be listed in the supplementary inventory of historical monuments in 1980. Since 2015, the cathedral is being restored.

After this page of history, don’t you want to discover this monument with your own eyes?