1.
AERIAL VIEWS FLYING OVER THE NEW CATHEDRAL (2 SHOTS)
0.16

2.
GV NEW CATHEDRAL
0.23

3.
GV FACADE OF CATHEDRAL
0.29

4.
GV SPIRE OF CATHEDRAL
0.33

5.
GV BELL TOWER
0.36

6.
CU CARVED MOTIFS
0.40

7.
GV INSCRIPTION IN THE THREE RELIGIOUS, MUSLIM, JEWISH AND CATHOLIC, ABOVE DOORWAY
0.45

8.
SV ARRIVAL OF CHURCH OFFICIALS
0.50

9.
GV BISHOP ADDRESSES CONGREGATION PAN TO THE GRAND IMAM AND MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT SEATED
0.57

10.
GV HAMANI DIORI ADDRESSES CONGREGATION
1.04

11.
GV CONGREGATION
1.12

12.
SV CHURCH OFFICIALS SEATED
1.17

13.
GV CARDINAL ZUNGRANA TAKES SERVICE
1.20

14.
GV CONGREGATION
1.27

15.
GV THE GRAND IMAM SEATED PAN TO CARDINAL ZUNGRANA DURING SERVICE
1.35

16.
GV CONGREGATION
1.40



Initials RGH/VS/CR/GLH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE NEW ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL IN NIAMEY WAS OPENED WITH SOLEMN HIGH MASS ON SATURDAY TAKEN BY CARDINAL ZUNGRANA, ARCHBISHOP OF OUAGADOUGOU, UPPER VOLTA.

PRESENT AT THE SERVICE WERE THREF BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH, PRESIDENT HAMANI DIORI OF NIGER REPUBLIC, THE GRAND IMAM OF NIAMEY, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS. THE CATHEDRAL WILL SEAT UP TO 800 PEOPLE.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE MODERN AND FUNCTIONAL CATHEDRAL BEGAN IN MARCH, 1965, ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE GRAND MOSQUE IN NIAMEY WAS BEING GIVEN A NEW LEASE OF LIFE. FINANCE FOR THE CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL CAME FROM THE NIGER GOVERNMENT, THE VATICAN, AND CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS IN NIGER.

MOST NIGERIANS ARE MUSLIMS: IN FACT 99.5 PER CENT OF THE THREE AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE ARE MUSLIMS. 400 NIGERIANS ARE CHRISTIANS.

HOWEVER, ANOTHER 12,000 TO 13,000 CHRISTIANS -- IMMIGRANTS FROM TOGO AND DAHOMEY -- LIVE IN NIGER.

DURING A EUROPEAN TOUR, PRESIDENT HAMANI DIORI, WHO GAVE THE ADDRESS, TOLD POPE PAUL THAT HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE WORK CATHOLIC MISSIONS WERE DOING IN NIGER AND ASKED FOR MORE MISSIONS TO BE SENT TO HIS COUNTRY TO EXPAND THEIR WORK IN HOSPITALS, EDUCATION AND RURAL WORK.