Fondation pour la restauration de l'Eglise Orthodoxe Sainte-Barbara de Vevey

The Sainte-Barbara Church in Vevey celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2018. During that year, the first phase of restoration work—on the exterior of the church—was completed: facades cleaned, roofs and gutters replaced, and the dome restored and regilded.

Urgent need for interior restoration

It is now imperative to move on to the interior work. Since its construction in 1878, the church has undergone a few makeshift renovations, but its rich interior is now in a worrying state of disrepair.

Restoration of the badly damaged murals is essential to ensure their preservation. The stained glass windows, marble, and carved wood must also be restored, as must the precious icons and numerous liturgical objects that are part of the church's identity.

To discover the interior of the church, you can take a virtual tour (created and provided by the Captiva360 service ofArchéotech SA) by clicking on the button below.

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Table of contents:

Urgent work

• Restoration of the interior decor and historical liturgical objects
• Renovation of obsolete technical installations

Other necessary work

• Restoration of the garden and access for people with reduced mobility
• Installation of a bell tower
• Fitting out of a community hall

Cost of the work

Support from the authorities

 

Obsolete technical installations

Obsolete technical installations, namely the heating, electrical, lighting, and security systems, must also be urgently replaced to meet current standards and ensure the safety of church visitors, as well as the preservation of the murals and paintings.

Renovation of obsolete technical installations

The heating, electrical, lighting, and security systems must be urgently reviewed as they are outdated and no longer meet current standards. This will ensure the safety of the premises and the quality of the conservation conditions for the church's painted decor.

In order to restore the murals, the heating system must first be upgraded. As the obsolescence of the installations is accelerating the deterioration of the church's interior decoration, simultaneous technical modernization and restoration of the painted decoration are essential.

Other necessary work: garden, bell tower, and community hall

Restoration of the garden and access for people with reduced mobility

The garden surrounding the church needs to be redesigned. In particular, access for people with reduced mobility must be made possible by installing a stair lift so that they can enter without being lifted up the steps. This is a matter of dignity and safety for these individuals, for whom easy access to a place of worship such as this must be provided.

Installation of a bell tower

The installation of a bell tower was not possible when the church was built in 1878. However, it is a major architectural and spiritual symbol, which is an integral part of the Orthodox tradition as well as other Christian denominations. It is now important to remedy this shortcoming. However, this bell tower would be modest in size and located next to the church, ensuring that the harmonious character of the site is preserved.

Creation of a community hall

The church currently has no space specifically designed to welcome its parishioners. One solution would be to convert the basement into a community hall, a space for listening and exchange between parishioners. This initiative would strengthen social ties within the Orthodox community in French-speaking Switzerland and beyond, and would be an additional vehicle for integration for parishioners.

Cost of the work

The most urgent work to be undertaken is the restoration of the painted decor and the church's 500 historic liturgical objects, as well as the refurbishment of the outdated technical installations. These tasks were estimated at CHF 3.63 million in the feasibility studies carried out in 2019-2020 by DOM architectes associés.

Other necessary work, including the redevelopment of the garden with access for people with reduced mobility, as well as the installation of a bell tower and the creation of a community room in the basement, would cost CHF 1.96 million. This work, which is important in order for the church to be able to offer good conditions for its parishioners, will be carried out if the fundraising campaign is successful. All in all, the restoration work would cost 5.59 million francs.

Tax-deductible donations

As the Foundation is recognized as a public interest organization by the State of Vaud, it should be noted that all donations are tax deductible.

Independent of the parish, this foundation guarantees in its statutes that all money raised through it will be used entirely for the restoration of the church. It will be dissolved at the end of the work.

or via the dedicated portal - Make a donation, participate in the religious effort

Foundation for the Restoration of the Orthodox Church of Saint Barbara in Vevey
Rue des Communaux 12
1800 Vevey

IBAN: CH870021521513361801A

UBS Bank – BIC: UBSWCHZH80A