Regina Mundi Catholic Church (Soweto)

Regina Mundi Roman Catholic Church
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic Church
Location
Location	Moroka, Soweto
Architecture
Architect(s)	Anthony Noel Errol Slaven
Groundbreaking	1960
Completed	1962
Direction of façade	South

Regina Mundi (Latin for "Queen of the World"),^[1] designed by architect Anthony Noel Errol Slaven, is the largest Roman Catholic church in South Africa. It is located in Rockville, Soweto, a populous black urban residential area within the city of Johannesburg. Due to the role it played as a place of gathering for the people of Soweto in the years before, during, and after the anti-apartheid struggle, it is often referred to as "the people's church" or "the people's cathedral".

The church is located in the middle of Soweto, in Rockville, in the neighbourhood of Moroka;^[2] it was built in 1964, replacing Moroka's former parish church. While the A-shaped exterior of the building is quite ordinary in design, its main feature is the vast interior, that can accommodate as many as 5000-7000 people.^[3][2] The stained-glass windows are decorated with scenes of Mary's life^[2] and were donated by Poland in 1998.^[3]

One of the most prominent artifacts in the church is the painting entitled "The Madonna and Child of Soweto", mostly referred to as "The Black Madonna",^[4] depicting a black Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus (also black). The painting was created by artist Larry Scully in 1973, as a part of a campaign to raise funds for the education of black South Africans. The painting was then bought by a benefactor and donated to the church. A highly symbolic element of the painting is a large eye right under the Black Madonna. According to journalist Mpho Lukoto of newspaper The Star, the pupil of the eye represents the township of Soweto; two forks directed towards the pupil from the sides represent the violence that was used against the people of Soweto during the apartheid era, and the cross in the center of the pupil represents the Church that illuminates the people with hope.^[5]

After the end of apartheid, a large park was built before the church, with a fountain and memorials, including a "peace pole" donated to the church by Japanese Christians.^[3] The church is still a popular place for the people of Soweto and it has also become a prominent tourist attraction in the area.^[2]