The Project
Saint George Maronite Cathedral (Arabic: كاتدرائية مار جرجس للموارنة) is the cathedral of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut, Archdiocese of the city of Beirut, Lebanon. Its construction, with a Neoclassical facade, interior and plan inspired by the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, began in 1884 and ended in 1894.
The Cathedral was bombarded heavily during the Lebanese Civil War; restoration works commenced in 1997 and were completed in April 2000. In 2010, construction started on a new campanile adjacent to the church which was 72 meters high, matching the height of the minarets of the Mohammad al-Amine mosque next door. The new bell tower was completed in 2016.
Following the huge blast that occurred in Beirut on the 4th of August 2020, the Cathedral of St. George was severely damaged. The roof deck was wrecked, and almost 40% of the roof tiles needed to be replaced.
Why BMI Group?
As a leading company in the roofing industry with a strong heritage in the Lebanese market, BMI Group felt the need to stay close to the local community during these difficult times. Through a strong cooperation with our local partner, OTECO, the roof could be restored within a short period of time, bringing the Church back to its original function.
To ensure compatibility with the existing roof tiles, BMI supplied the renowned Monier Marseille, also known as “bee” tile for the distinctive mark on the front edge, supplied to Lebanon for a century. This unique roof tile, manufactured in the plant of Roumazieres in France, is a medium-size roof tile (12.5 pcs/m2) with a variable gauge, that provides great flexibility during installation.
The ease of installation, along with the prompt delivery service of BMI and OTECO, reduced the time required to restore the functionality of the roof.
BMI and OTECO are glad to have provided a substantial contribution for the restoration of this historical church, thus helping the local community to recover after a dreadful tragedy.