Church in the Jungle, CONGO

Tucked away in the heart of the world’s second largest rainforest lies Moboma Cathedral, built in 1925. It has stood for 100 years, mostly as a quirky relic of Belgium’s ambitious and misguided mission to bring European religion to the Bayaka pygmies. Built during the colonial era, it was part church, part community center (for health and education), and entirely out of place in the vast forests, far from any town or city. The Belgian missionaries underestimated the deep-rooted cultures that the indigenous communities already had, they were so in tune with the rhythms of the jungle and their lives as hunter-gatherers.

While Moboma’s grandeur has faded, it now stands as an impressive and fascinating reminder of a time when the forest met the chapel and the Bayaka met Belgian message of Christianity.