Reconstruction has begun on the Sacred Heart Church in China's eastern sea port of Ningbo. The church was destroyed by fire last year.
Rebuilding work on the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Ningbo has started a year after the 143-year-old former cathedral was destroyed by fire.
The cause of the fire, which destroyed one of China's oldest church structures, remains a mystery, said Father Jin Yangke.
“The authorities have not given us a reason” despite a lengthy investigation, the parish priest said. However, he does not believe the blaze to the brick and wood structure was deliberately started.
Parishioners have been using a nearby convent while awaiting the reconstruction of the church.
“Everyone was sad to see the church destroyed but accept that it was a trial from God,” Father Jin said.
The priest said he did not know if the church would be prevented from installing a cross. Several churches in Ningbo have received notification from the government to have their crosses removed.
The Ningbo diocese and local authorities hope to complete the reconstruction by the end of the year.
A first phase will restore the main body and bell tower of the former cathedral; in the second phase, the rectory, library and other structures that surrounded the church will be rebuilt.
Since the church was listed a national relic in 2006, the government will provide two-thirds of the funding for the reconstruction, which is estimated to be about $US3.2 million, said Father Jin.
Jiang Wei Hai, deputy head of Hangzhou's relic preservation bureau told the Ningbo Evening News that the restoration project will strive to retain its original appearance, including the church's famous French-made bell and bell tower.
An expert said the bell tower, which chimed every 15 minutes, was rare among churches in China.
Built in 1872 by French missionaries, the former cathedral was later used as a party revolutionary base and has since been declared a national monument, affording it state-level protection. It was returned to the Catholic community in 1980.