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France unable to save 1000s of crumbling churches

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

 

The dilemma of what to do with tens of thousands of churches that have fallen out of favour -- and into disrepair -- is facing towns and villages across France and other European countries, reported the Associated Press.

Some have converted old churches into housing while other churches deemed too expensive to maintain were torn down. In France, less than 5 percent of the nation’s 62 million people attend mass every week, down from 27 percent a half-century ago. One village, at a cost of $2.13 million -- less than half the cost of a restoration -- is building a new church built around the bell tower of the existing structure. Even in communities where there is still a churchgoing presence, the old cathedrals are too large and lack intimacy. “It’s five times too big for the congregation that usually comes. People prefer a more modern church, that’s more cheerful and warm, instead of a huge one where they get lost in all the space,” said one mayor. Famous cathedrals that are viewed as jewels of religious architecture are not in danger as they have funding from the national government.

Source: Religion Today