The first Catholic church to be built in Africa was the Church of the Holy Cross, located in Elmina, Ghana. It was built by Portuguese explorers in 1482, led by Diogo Cão, who was a member of the Order of Christ, a Catholic military order. The church was built as a small chapel and was dedicated to the Holy Cross, which was believed to have been discovered by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India. Today, the Church of the Holy Cross is considered a historical monument and is a popular tourist attraction in Ghana.
The first 10 catholic churches in Africa
It's difficult to provide an exact list of the first 10 Catholic churches in Africa as the history of Catholicism on the continent is complex and spans over many centuries. However, here are some of the oldest and most significant Catholic churches in Africa:
1. Church of the Holy Cross, Elmina, Ghana - built by Portuguese explorers in 1482.
2. St. Louis Cathedral, Carthage, Tunisia - built in the 19th century on the site of an ancient Roman church.
3. Cathedral of St. Augustine, Hippo Regius, Algeria - built on the site of the church where St. Augustine of Hippo served as bishop in the 4th century.
4. St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town, South Africa - built in 1901 and the mother church of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
5. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Maputo, Mozambique - built in the early 20th century.
6. Notre-Dame d'Afrique, Algiers, Algeria - built in the 19th century on a hill overlooking the city.
7. Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast - built in the late 20th century and one of the largest Catholic churches in the world.
8. St. Theresa's Cathedral, Kumbo, Cameroon - built in the early 20th century and the largest church in the country.
9. Basilica of St. Anne, Arusha, Tanzania - built in the 20th century and the largest church in East Africa.
10. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Muara, Equatorial Guinea - built in the 20th century and the largest church in the country.
It's worth noting that there were likely many other Catholic churches built in Africa during the colonial period and in the centuries since, and the list above is not exhaustive.
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