- France planned a new public subscription to fund the restoration of religious buildings
- About 10,500 religious buildings have historic monument status
- The Interior Ministry allocated €57 million for religious heritage in 2022
- €280 million went to 8,265 projects over the previous five years
France’s government announced plans in June 2023 to raise new money to restore the country’s village churches, Connexion reported. The initiative was unveiled during a visit by President Emmanuel Macron’s administration to Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy.
The plan is to create a dedicated public subscription for religious buildings, inspired by the successful Loto du patrimoine, the heritage lottery. Officials were considering whether donors could receive tax deductions, with a decision expected by September.
About 10,500 religious buildings hold historic monument status, out of about 50,000 heritage sites in France. The culture ministry planned to classify more religious buildings, especially from the 19th and 20th centuries, based on historical, artistic, scientific and technical criteria. The Interior Ministry allocated €57 million for religious heritage restoration in 2022 and had invested €280 million in 8,265 projects over the previous five years.
The report described the strategy as calling on the involvement of people in France, and perhaps some foreigners, in favour of a specific heritage.
France shows a country trying new funding models, including lotteries, public appeals and tax incentives, to save churches that small communities cannot maintain. Jamaica’s heritage churches could benefit from similar ideas: a national heritage fund, tax-deductible gifts for church restoration, and appeals to the diaspora, who often feel deep ties to the churches of their home parishes.
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