St. Patrick's Basilica (Montreal)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Patrick's Basilica is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1 History
2 Architecture
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

Exterior view of St. Patrick's, with the foundations of St. Bridget's Asylum in the foreground

The church is known for its historic links to the Irish Canadian community. English-speaking Catholics first assembled in Montreal at the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours church in Old Montreal in 1817. Their numbers were swelled by the massive arrival of Irish immigrants. They were first transferred to the Church of the Recollets in 1830, but by 1841 they numbered 6,500, and could no longer be accommodated there.

The site of Saint Patrick's Church was purchased, and construction began, in 1843; it was then on the outskirts of the town, a sloped site overlooking parishioners' homes. The first mass was celebrated in the church on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1847.

The Quebec government designated the church a historic monument in December 1985. It has also been designated a heritage building by the government of Canada.

On St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1989, the church was raised to the dignity of minor basilica by Pope John Paul II, upon request by Paul Cardinal Grégoire, archbishop of Montreal.

[edit] Architecture

The gothic revival building, designed by P.L. Morin and Father Felix Martin, is 71 metres long and 32 metres wide; the steeple reaches a height of 69 metres. It is considered one of the most magnificent examples of its style in Canada.

Interesting architectural features of the church include 150 oil paintings of the saints, on the gothic oak wainscoting encircling the nave.

The church is known for "St. Patrick's Chimes," its ten bells, of which the oldest, "Charlotte," was cast in 1774 and used in the previous church of Notre-Dame. The bell system was restored in 1989. The organ was installed in 1852 and has been successively rebuilt several times. In 1972, it was combined with the organ of St. Anthony's Church, also of Montreal, which had been demolished.

Inside the church are memorials to two famous parishioners. Pew 240, used by Thomas D'Arcy McGee, a statesman and Father of Confederation who was assassinated in 1868, is marked. In the rear of the church, a plaque commemorates the baptism in the church of the poet Émile Nelligan.

The church is located at 460 René Lévesque Boulevard West, in downtown Montreal, at the corner of Saint-Alexandre Street (Square-Victoria or Place-des-Arts metro stations).