Santa Maria del Fener marks 45 years in Andorra la Vella

The Church of Santa Maria del Fener in Andorra la Vella marks 45 years as one of the archpriesthood’s principal buildings, serving both parish and social functions for the community. It was built to meet the rapid growth of the Prada Ramon area in the 1970s and to reduce the distance to the larger parish church of Sant Esteve. The new church was inaugurated on 8 December 1980.

The initiative came from mossèn Pau Vidal, who played a key role in finding land and negotiating with authorities, according to the archpriest of the Valls, mossèn Ramon Sàrries. The project also sought to revive the historic church that once stood at El Fener before it disappeared in the 1865 landslide. Initially the temple was planned under the patronage of Sant Pelegrí, historically associated with the paraires guild, but it was finally dedicated to Santa Maria because Andorra had no church bearing the name of the Virgin Mary.

Construction cost about 30 million pesetas, funded mainly by the parish of Andorra la Vella, which sold the land now occupied by the Spanish embassy and reinvested the proceeds in the new building. The government and the General Council also provided support. The land was ceded by the Babot family, who permitted not only the construction of the church but also residential units; the archpriest lives in one of those apartments. The local community contributed through Sunday collections and by covering expenses such as pews, electricity and painting.

The building contains four floors: two dedicated to parish activities and two used as housing. The ground floor houses the church; above it are offices for Càritas Andorrana and rooms for conferences and meetings. At the time of construction, Sant Esteve lacked parish rooms, so the new facility was designed to provide meeting space that had previously required use of the church itself or municipal halls.

The inauguration drew a large congregation; after Mass, attendees were served coca with chocolate and shown the new complex. The church marked its 25th anniversary with a photographic exhibition on the centenary of churches in Andorra. Mossèn Sàrries says there are no special plans for the 45th anniversary and that a larger celebration is planned for the 50th in 2030.

Born to respond to the needs of a growing neighborhood, Santa Maria del Fener has become an important local reference and a vital part of spiritual life in Andorra la Vella.