The Church of the Holy Martyrs was built in 1928, near the Mangin Camp, by the French architect and urban planner Henri Prost, at the request of Marshal Lyautey to head the architecture services of the Protectorate in Morocco. The church was named in honor of the five Franciscan brothers, Berard, Peter, Otho, Adjutus, and Accursius, who died in Marrakech on January 16, 1220.
The art of simplicity
The Church of the Holy Martyrs features simple architecture, beautified by a striking fresco supposed to represent Christ Pantocrator (a Christ in glory as opposed to the image of Christ suffering the Passion on the Cross). The mural was created in 1951 by the Benedictine brother Andre Bouton and Jacques Bouton, a graduate of the Decorative Arts of Paris, and it was also restored by the Portuguese artist Carles Arola.
The suspended cross is an accurate replica of the Byzantine Crucifix, painted by G. Puvilland and hung in 1971 in the choir of the Church of the Holy Martyrs. For several years, the parish has neighbored the mosque on the same street, thus strengthening the spirit of living together. Today, it is frequented by a Catholic community mainly composed of Sub-Saharan students and English and French-speaking expatriates. The Church of the Holy Martyrs also makes solidarity a priority through a charitable action named Caritas, which helps the needy.