- The Church of the Assumption in Santiago, Chile, was burned on October 18, 2020
- It had been vandalised and looted in November 2019 during street protests
- Rebuilding included structural reinforcement, a new roof, doors, windows and wiring
- The church reopened on May 25, 2025, with support from Aid to the Church in Need
The Church of the Assumption in Santiago, Chile, reopened on May 25, 2025, nearly five years after it was destroyed by arson, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported on May 30, 2025.
The 143-year-old church was vandalised and looted on November 8, 2019, during street protests, and burned on October 18, 2020.
The rebuilding included structural reinforcement of the walls, a new roof, new doors and windows, and a renewed electrical system. New pews and sacred artwork were planned. ACN said the work was supported by the charity and by hundreds of benefactors, some of whom did not know the parish. At the reopening Cardinal Fernando Chomali said: “after hearing the marvelous witness of faith of this community and of Aid to the Church in Need, I declare myself a Catholic.”
The report did not give the total cost of the reconstruction.
Jamaican churches damaged by hurricanes, fire or vandalism face the same long path back: making the structure safe, replacing the roof and services, then restoring the interior. The Santiago rebuild took almost five years and depended on donors from well beyond the parish. Adequate insurance, good records of the building and early contact with partner churches and charities can shorten that timeline.
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