Let us restore the church of St. Barbara in Vevey!

The church of St. Barbara in Vevey is a true emblem of the Orthodox presence in French-speaking Switzerland. There is now an urgent need to restore its interior.

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5 good reasons to support the restoration

Built in 1878, the Church of St. Barbara in Vevey is one of the oldest Orthodox churches in Western Europe.
The whole church is classified as a historical monument, and protected by the State of Vaud and the Swiss Confederation.
The church is fully part of the cultural life of the region. Its rich history and unique style give our church a special place in the religious architecture in Western Europe.
Apart from some makeshift repair, the church has never benefited from any complete restoration of its interior since its construction. This heritage is today in a worrying state of dilapidation.
The State of Vaud is supporting this project, which is implemented under the high patronage of both the General Directorate of Buildings and Heritage (DGIP) and the Department of Cultural Affairs.

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Urgent works

Restoring the interior decoration of the church as well as more than 500 liturgical objects of great value, which are in very bad condition, has now become necessary to ensure the preservation of this heritage. Technical installations (e.g. heating, lighting, and electricity systems) must also be brought up to standard quickly to avoid any incident, guarantee safety and ensure optimal preservation of this heritage. The total estimated cost of the restoration works amounts to 5.63 million francs.

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A Foundation to take care of the restoration process

The Foundation for the Restoration of the Church of St. Barbara in Vevey was created in early 2020, in order to carry out the fundraising campaign. The Foundation is recognised as a public interest entity, which is independent of the parish. The statute of the Foundation guarantees that the collected funds will be used only for their stated purpose.

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The church of St. Barbara in Vevey is an important heritage treasure. Its interior is now in a serious state of dilapidation. Help us restore it!

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News

Future art historians visit the church

17 October 2023 | Church life

As part of a Master's degree seminar run jointly by Professor Dave Lüthi and Mr Nicolas Meier at the University of Lausanne, a group of art history students visited the church. The goal? To raise awareness of heritage preservation methods: the Sainte-Barbara church in...

“The saints of Helvetia” programme

15 September 2023 | Church life

Here is a link to the France TV programme on all the saints who have illuminated the land of Helvetia: See you on Sunday at 9.30 a.m. for this weekend's service!

Construction works continue

23 August 2023 | Construction work

From mid-August and throughout the month, building work will resume in the garden and basement of the church to connect the central heating and install a lift for the disabled. This work will involve two areas: The staircase in the garden will be dismantled for major...