Beirut Church to reopen following 2020 Blast

Aid to the Church in Need in Lebanon (Copyright: free with credit to Photographer)

The Jesuit Church of St Joseph in the Lebanese capital Beirut is due to open its doors again next month following the August 2020 dockside blast.

Vatican News staff reporter

Nearly a year on from a devastating blast that rocked the Lebanese city of Beirut, there is a cause for celebration.

The historic Jesuit-run Church of St Joseph, which was badly damaged in the August 2020 explosion, is due to reopen next month.

Vital support

The Church has been restored with the help of Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)

Father Salah Aboujaoude SJ told ACN that “The supply and installation of the new wood doors will be completed by the end of next week.”

He also noted that as the painting and electrical works near completion, the installation of the false ceiling is due to start soon.

Last year’s blast killed 200 people and injured thousands more when 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate ignited in a docklands warehouse.

The restoration project

Farid Hakimé, is the engineer overseeing the church’s restoration. “Most of the wooden windows and doors were destroyed, the pitched roof was severely affected too,” he said.

Other damage included all the original woodwork being torn off by the blast, damage to the false ceiling and lighting fixtures, as well as to the timber structure supporting the pitched roof, which lost most of its tiles.

Mr Hakimé added, “You could see many cracks in the ceiling of the church, and many other areas, caused by the blast” …

This article was originally published on Vatican News website. Please click here to read the full text.