St Andrews Church - Famous Church and Popular Tourist Attraction

To find an Anglican church in Morocco might sound odd to some, but Tangier is home to a very famous little church and a popular tourist attraction in Tangier named St. Andrews Church. Hassan I of Morocco provided the first strip of land in the year 1880 to the English where they were able to erect an iron church. Soon the church became too small to accommodate the congregation and plans to build a new church were made.

The cornerstone for the new Church of St. Andrews was laid in the year 1894 and the church was consecrated in 1905. It is a church that was well documented, as services registers between the years 1885 to 1991 and even the accounting books for the years 1882 to 1926 are still in existence. The neat church with its clean rows of pews is still well attended every Sunday morning and worshippers come from far and wide to attend the morning service. What makes this church so unique and interesting is the Lord’s Prayer. Behind the altar on the archway, visitors will be able to view a version of this well known prayer in Arabic.

The St. Andrews Church is often visited by tourists because of some of the famous names that have been laid to rest in the graveyard. Amongst the two hundred tombstones are the names of well-known bankers and historically famous generals. Names such as Major Harry Twentyman, Winthrop Buchanan and Hooker A. Doolittle are also found here. Most notorious, is the tombstone that bears no Christian name, but only reads: “Died February 1963. Missed by all and sundry.” This grave belongs to the legendary London drug lord known simply as "Dean". He fled to Morocco to evade a string of felonies that included money laundering. Emily Kean introduced the procedure of vaccinations to Morocco, which has most certainly saved countless lives, and was buried in the graveyard of the St. Andrews Church in Tangier.

The Church of St. Andrews is an attraction in Tangier that is a beautiful structure to investigate and is of great historical importance. Walking through the graveyard adds a touch of nostalgia and mystery, as visitors read the names and ponder on their lives and legacy that they might someday leave behind.

 

 



User Comments & Reviews: 28 Comment(s)

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charles dutton - 2011-10-01 20:45:06

St Andrews church has never been licensed to perform marriages.

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Anne Fazli - 2011-06-26 15:33:28

I am the organist at St Andrews, we do not have a permanent vicar at the church, however I can say that any marriage that involves a moroccan national is highly unlikely to be given permission however if you want to contact me I can speak with the Church Wardens for advice
I just wanted to ask.....are there regular services at St. Andrews please - in spite of there being no regular Vicar? Thank you for your time.

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Ronnie McCracken - 2011-06-19 10:58:32

Hi, I urgently need a photo of the Emma Herdman memorial plaque in St Andrews church. Also if there is any possibility of a photo of her grave and any headstone. I need these for a book about her whch is going to press very soon. We know that there is a memorial to her in the church but were not able to locate her grave. We know that she did en route to Tangier and that the funeral was arranged in St Andrews by Dr Churcher but other detail is scanty. Any help appreciated. Thanks a lot. Photo could be emailed to me at above email address.

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