Restoring the beauty of the Shrine of El Cobre

At the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, following a lengthy restoration process, work has been completed on the installation of the angels and stained-glass windows, which were severely damaged by the intensity of Hurricane Melissa last October.

The Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba announced that the angels at the rear entrance are being reinstalled following restoration work led by sculptor José Duverger Aliaga, a graduate of the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts, in collaboration with specialists from the Office of the Havana City Historian.

According to the statement, the work was quite a challenge. At least one of the marble sculptures had been severely damaged by the hurricane, with parts of the wings, hands, head, and body shattered, so it was transported to Havana for reconstruction.

“The angel arrived in pieces; only the base remained,” recalled Duverger, who faced the challenge of reassembling a piece weighing approximately 500 kilograms, restoring each fragment to its original integrity.

At the same time, the team from the Workshop School, under the direction of stained-glass specialists, worked on reconstructing the glass panels that had also been damaged. Some of these stained-glass windows, up to two meters tall, were reconstructed “from images,” seeking shades similar to the originals to maintain the chapel’s visual uniformity.

A commitment to heritage and faith

The return of the angels and the installation of the restored stained-glass windows are part of a much larger restoration process at the El Cobre Shrine, which also sustained damage to its roofs, doors, windows, and other elements of heritage value. Little by little, one of Santiago de Cuba’s most beloved and symbolic sites is regaining its former appearance.

Through this work, the team from the Escuela Taller and sculptor Duverger are fulfilling their commitment to the Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Patroness of Cuba. The angels are once again in their rightful place, guarding the Virgin’s home, while the stained-glass windows regain the light that for centuries has illuminated the sanctuary, which welcomes hundreds of devotees daily from across the island and around the world.

The Shrine of El Cobre was declared a National Monument in 2012 and is one of the most sacred and beloved sites for the Cuban people.