To the questions that reach the rectorate of the cathedral – especially through the guides of the Visitor Service – we sometimes answer in images. The subjects are varied and sometimes highlight unsuspected aspects of the cathedral…
We know that the architecture of Chartres has influenced many churches throughout the world, from its construction in the 13th century to the most innovative buildings, some of which are in the 21st century. To escape the winter atmosphere for a moment, head for the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia.
On the island of Akamaru, a large avenue of coconut trees, with a perfectly manicured lawn, leads to the small church dedicated to Our Lady of Peace, built in 1841. The two towers of the church are of different heights and shapes. Indeed, the founder wanted this dissymmetry to remind him of the architecture of the cathedral of Chartres (he was born in Saint-Léger-des-Aubées, department of Eure-et-Loir 28 near Chartres).
To understand the surprising presence of this building on the islet of Akamaru, where today only two families live, we must go back to the 19th century. In 1834, the first Catholic mission in Polynesia was founded in the Gambiers. Father Honoré Laval became the new chief of the archipelago and established a quasi-theocracy on the islands. In a few decades, he completely changed the appearance of the Gambier Islands, built wide roads, a cathedral, nine churches or chapels, watchtowers, wharves, etc…
His role is disputed today, especially his excessive positions regarding the ancestral customs of the Mangarevans. Nevertheless, he wrote down their legends and traditions, investing himself in the local community until he came up against the French authorities.
