One of the towers of Colombia’s tallest cathedral collapsed on Monday during the devastating 7.4 earthquake that struck the South American nation.
The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, commonly known as the Manizales Cathedral, is one of the most iconic landmarks of the city of Manizales, Caldas, built nearly 100 years ago between 1928 and 1939. At approximately 112 meters tall, the cathedral is Colombia’s tallest and, according to EWTN, it is also the tallest neo-Gothic church in the Americas.
The historic cathedral suffered extensive damages after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday morning. Footage shared by local and international outlets show the shocking moment in which one of the cathedral’s towers collapsed during the earthquake, ending up leaning against the facade of the central nave.
As of Tuesday morning, the official death toll reportedly lists at least 181 deaths and over 1,300 injured. At press time, there are no reports of any individuals directly injured as a result of the Cathedral tower’s collapse.
The Archdiocese of Manizales published aerial drone footage showing the damages suffered by the cathedral on Monday, recounting that the church endured past earthquakes in 1962 and 1979. The archdiocese emphasized that, although it hurts to see the church in that state, it can be repaired and buildings can be rebuilt, emphasizing, “what it is truly important is that, in the face of adversity, we remain united.”
“Today we raise our prayer for those who have been affected and for every family going through moments of uncertainty. May God grant us strength to face this trial, solidarity to accompany each other, and hope to remember that, together, we can always rise again,” the archdiocese wrote. “Manizales, today more than ever, united in prayer.”
The archdiocese also shared footage of damage that other churches suffered during the earthquake on its Facebook page, emphasizing that “in the midst of material damages, our faith and hope in God remains steadfast.” Similarly, the Archbishop of Manizales Monsignor José Miguel Gómez Rodríguez shared a message of solidarity and prayer for those affected by the natural tragedy — which has been described by international outlets as the worst earthquake that Colombia has suffered in a century.
Pope Leo XIV, through the Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin, sent a Spanish-language telegram to the Episcopal Conference of Colombia on Tuesday morning expressing the holy father’s grief and condolences to the victims of the devastating earthquake, while also elevating his prayers for the swift recovery of all those affected.
“Likewise, he [Pope Leo] assures them of his spiritual closeness and expresses his gratitude to all those who, with generous dedication, are working in search, rescue, and relief efforts for those affected,” the message said.
“At the same time, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he asks the Lord to pour out upon the beloved Colombian people the gifts of spiritual strength and Christian hope, and he wholeheartedly imparts the Apostolic Blessing,” the text continued.
The Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported that the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary had already recovered from two tragedies 100 years ago. The cathedral first suffered a massive fire on July 3, 1925, which, El Tiempo recounted, was successfully contained thanks to the efforts of the people of Manizales. Months later, on March 20, 1926, another fire completely consumed the church.
Laura Cardona, a Colombian woman from Manizales, explained to El Tiempo that she was outside on her way to work when the earthquake hit the country. She said that she “just stopped, hugged the person I was with, and prayed for it to pass.”
“I walked along Carrera 23 [street] and saw several collapsed homes, rubble on the ground, and dust everywhere,” she detailed. “Then I reached the Cathedral and saw the extent of the destruction, seeing the fallen tower, the missing statue of Christ, and people sitting on the Plaza steps in tears, it was a truly harrowing sight, something I had never witnessed before.”
ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language division of the Catholic News Agency, detailed that the earthquake caused significant damages to several Catholic churches and temples across Colombia. Per the outlet, the roof of a church in the Manizales neighborhood of El Carmen collapsed, while the Basilica of the Lord of Miracles in Buga, Valle del Cauca, was closed down pending a technical evaluation after “partial damage, including cracking in the central dome and falling material” was observed.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.