Cathedral repair fundraising campaign begins

Cuenca Archbishop, Luis Cabrera, will inaugurate the “Dollar for the Cathedral” fundraising drive on Saturday in hopes of collecting the $870,746 needed for roof repairs to the iconic 120-year-old church.

“This a great campaign that aims to reach the people who value this fabulous sanctuary. This is the most important structure in Cuenca and we believe that the people will come to our assistance,” the Archbishop said.

Cabrera said that the campaign will also reach out to Ecuadorians living in the U.S. and Spain. “Many of our migrants are from Cuenca and I believe that they will want to help too,” he said.

Water damage from the cathedral roof is visible on the ceiling. Much of the damage is the result of lack of proper sealing at the time of construction. Fungi and lichens growing in ceiling cracks have added to the problem, an architectural study by the University of Cuenca reported.