Notre_Dame_d'Afrique
Notre-Dame d'Afrique
Catholic basilica in Algeria
Basilique Notre Dame d'Afrique (English: “Basilica of Our Lady of Africa”) is a Catholic basilica in Algiers, Algeria. It is the origin of the modern Catholic devotion to Our Lady of Africa.
Pope Pius IX granted two Pontifical decrees towards the shrine on the same day on 15 April 1876:
- The first decree invoked to canonically crown the venerated Marian image enshrined within. The coronation rites was executed by the Archbishop of Carthage Charles Lavigerie on 30 April 1876.
- The second decree which raised the sanctuary to the status of Basilica based on an "immemorial custom". (Pope Benedict XV later regulated to limit these privileges in 1918 to Papal edicts unless an ancient custom already refers to a building as a "Basilica".)