Religious buildings in Canada (14)

Saint Patrick's Basilica (French: Basilique Saint-Patrick de Montréal) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica located on René-Lévesque Boulevard in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Known for its historical ties to the Irish-Canadian community, the basilica celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1997. Originally, French-speaking Catholics congregated at the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours church in Old Montreal, but a surge of Irish immigrants around 1817 led to overcrowding. By 1825, the growing congregation was relocated to the Church of the Recollets, yet by 1841, the community had grown to 6,500, necessitating a larger space.The site for Saint Patrick’s was purchased, and construction commenced in September 1843. Situated on a slope overlooking the neighborhoods of Point St. Charles, Goose Village, and Griffintown, Saint Patrick's became Montreal’s oldest English-speaking Roman Catholic church. Its first mass took place on March 17, 1847, St. Patrick’s Day. The church’s initial organ, built by Samuel Russell Warren in 1850, was later followed by organists like Adélard Joseph Boucher and Joseph-A. Fowler.On December 10, 1985, the Quebec government declared Saint Patrick’s a historic monument, and in 1996, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Elevated to a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II on St. Patrick's Day in 1989, the Gothic Revival structure—designed by P. L. Morin and Father Felix Martin—stands 71 meters long and 32 meters wide, with a steeple reaching 69 meters.Inside, French fleur-de-lys and Irish shamrock motifs adorn the heavily decorated interior. The 25-meter columns are crafted from white oak encased in marble, and the church has three altars, four rosette stained-glass windows by New York artist Alex S. Locke, and 150 saintly oil paintings. The Casavant Frères pipe organ, installed in 1895, is fully electropneumatic.Decorative additions by artists Guido Nincheri in 1922 and Victor Marion in 1931 enhanced the church. A unique 1,800-pound sanctuary lamp, installed in 1896, is North America's only one of its kind, with six angels standing two meters tall.St. Patrick's Chimes, a ten-bell set, includes the oldest bell, 'Charlotte,' cast in 1774. The bells were restored in 1989, and the organ has been rebuilt several times since its installation in 1852, incorporating elements from St. Antony's Church in 1972. Four major restorations have taken place, most recently costing $5 million, with $1.4 million from the Quebec Government.Two famous parishioners are honored inside: Pew 240 marks where Thomas D’Arcy McGee, a Father of Confederation, once sat, and a plaque at the rear commemorates poet Émile Nelligan’s baptism on Christmas Day 1879.The basilica stands at 460 René-Lévesque Boulevard West, at Saint-Alexandre Street, accessible from the Square-Victoria-OACI or Place-des-Arts metro stations in downtown Montreal.

The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel ('Our Lady of Good Help') is a historic church in Old Montreal, Quebec, built in 1771 on the site of an earlier chapel. Located at 400 Saint Paul Street East, near Bonsecours Market, this church is among the oldest in Montreal.St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, the first teacher in Ville-Marie and founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame, inspired the colonists to build the original chapel in 1655. She brought a wooden statue of Our Lady of Good Help from France in 1673, and the stone chapel was completed in 1678. After a fire destroyed the original church in 1754, a new structure was built in 1771, where the saved statue and reliquary now remain.Following Montreal’s capture by British forces during the French and Indian War, the chapel served Irish and Scottish troops and their families. Fundraising there helped build Saint Patrick's Church, Montreal's first English-speaking Catholic parish.In the 19th century, Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours became a pilgrimage site for sailors arriving at the Old Port of Montreal, who made offerings in thanks for safe voyages. In 1849, Bishop Ignace Bourget gifted the chapel a statue of the Virgin as 'Star of the Sea,' placed atop the church overlooking the harbor, earning it the nickname 'Sailors' Church.'Today, the chapel also houses the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum, which honors her life and early Montreal history. An archeological site under the chapel features First Nations and French colonial artifacts, including remains of the original chapel and colonial fortifications. Visitors can also climb the chapel’s spire for views of the Old Port and the Saint Lawrence River. In 2005, the mortal remains of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys were returned to rest in the sanctuary.

Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec, is a significant Roman Catholic basilica and the seat of the Archdiocese of Montreal. Built between 1875 and 1894 to replace the burned Saint-Jacques Cathedral, it is modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Originally named Saint James Cathedral, it was rededicated in 1955 to Mary, Queen of the World, following Pope Pius XII's proclamation. The church honors the 507 Canadian Papal Zouaves who defended the Papal States in the 19th century, with their names engraved inside. Designated a National Historic Site in 2000, the cathedral has undergone various restorations, including a significant renovation of its esplanade and narthex in 2003, and the cleaning of Bishop Ignace Bourget's statue in 2005.Measuring 101 meters in length and 77 meters at the dome's height, the cathedral stands as Quebec’s third-largest church. The construction was initially controversial, due to its location in a predominantly English-speaking part of Montreal. Today, the cathedral remains an important religious and cultural landmark, bridging Montreal’s history with the global Catholic community.

Notre-Dame Basilica (French: Basilique Notre-Dame) is a Catholic minor basilica located in the historic Old Montreal district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Situated at 110 Notre-Dame Street West, at the corner of Saint Sulpice Street, it is adjacent to the Saint-Sulpice Seminary and overlooks Place d'Armes square.The basilica is renowned for its dramatic interior, a Gothic Revival masterpiece. The ceiling is a deep blue adorned with golden stars, while the sanctuary features rich colors—blues, reds, purples, silver, and gold—alongside hundreds of intricate wooden carvings and religious statues. Unlike traditional church stained glass, the windows here depict scenes from Montreal's religious history. A standout feature is the 1891 Casavant Frères pipe organ, with 7,000 pipes, four keyboards, and 99 stops.The Sulpicians, a Roman Catholic order, arrived in Montreal (then Ville-Marie) in 1657, and by 1672 had built the original parish church, dedicated to the Holy Name of Mary. By 1824, the congregation outgrew the church, leading to the commissioning of a new design by James O'Donnell, an Irish-American Anglican. O'Donnell, a proponent of the Gothic Revival style, converted to Catholicism on his deathbed and is the only person buried in the church’s crypt. The new basilica's construction took place between 1824 and 1829, with the towers completed in the 1840s. When finished, it was the largest church in North America.Throughout its history, Notre-Dame has undergone various modifications. Notably, the interior was redesigned by Victor Bourgeau in the 1870s, drawing inspiration from Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. A more intimate chapel, Chapelle du Sacré-Cœur, was added in 1888 but was later destroyed by arson in 1978. The chapel was rebuilt, blending traditional and modern elements, including an impressive bronze altarpiece by Quebec sculptor Charles Daudelin.The basilica has hosted many significant events, including state funerals for notable figures such as former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and hockey legend Maurice 'Rocket' Richard. It was also the setting for Celine Dion’s wedding to René Angélil in 1994 and Angélil's funeral in 2016. Additionally, the basilica welcomed a display of Napoleon Bonaparte’s artifacts in 2014 and accepted donations in 2019 to support the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris after its devastating fire.With around 11 million annual visitors, Notre-Dame Basilica is one of North America's most visited monuments. In 2023, it was named the 6th most beautiful building in the world by Angi, a home service publication that ranked Notre-Dame de Paris second and Barcelona's Sagrada Família first.In 1982, Pope John Paul II elevated Notre-Dame to the status of a minor basilica. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1989, further cementing its role as a cultural and architectural icon.

Blumenfeld Church is a Municipal Heritage Property located about 15 km south of the Village of Prelate in southwest Saskatchewan, within the Rural Municipality of Happyland No. 231. The property includes a two-storey, wood-frame church built in 1915, along with a small clapboard prayer house, a cemetery, a memorial cairn, a fieldstone shrine, and open-air Stations of the Cross. These features sit on a 4-hectare grassy parcel, separated from nearby fields by hedgerows. A recently constructed wood-frame building for serving refreshments at community events is considered a non-contributing resource. Situated on a prominent ridge, the church stands out on the local landscape.The heritage value of Blumenfeld Church is rooted in its connection to the German-Russian pioneers of the Prelate district and its significant role in the community's religious and social life. Before Blumenfeld Parish was established in 1912, German-Catholic homesteaders in the area were served by Oblate missionaries from Lethbridge, Alberta. The current church, built in 1915 and named Saints Peter and Paul Church, became the central place of worship for the community, earning the title of 'Mother Church' for several parishes that followed in the Prelate area. The addition of a fieldstone shrine to Our Lady of Sorrows in 1936 made the site an important pilgrimage destination. Although regular services ended in 1962, the church still hosts occasional weddings, funerals, and community events, and the cemetery remains in use. Annual pilgrimages to the shrine continue, and the property is valued by current residents as a symbol of continuity between generations and a memorial to the district’s early settlers.The church’s architecture also holds heritage value, especially in its scale and the historical integrity of its interior design. While its vernacular design is typical of rural Saskatchewan churches, its comparatively larger size and interior embellishments reflect the community’s deep commitment to its religious institutions. Additional heritage significance comes from the wrought iron crosses marking some of the cemetery graves and adorning the shrine. Crafted by Stanley Wingenpak, a former blacksmith in the community, these crosses represent a traditional folk art brought to North America by German-speaking immigrants from Russia.

The Wasel Holy Ascension Russo Orthodox Church, built in 1901, is located in Wasel, Alberta, about 140 km (87 mi) northeast of Edmonton. The church was founded by immigrants from Bucovina, a region that was then part of Romania and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, similar to those who established the nearby Temple of Saints Peter and Paul in Dickie Bush.While the parish was founded early, it wasn't legally registered until 1912 due to difficulties in meeting government requirements.The church stands in a well-maintained open field in Smoky Lake County, just north of the North Saskatchewan River. To the west, a separate building serves as both a gathering space and a bell tower. Outside the church, there's a cement table and Cross, where water is blessed and other prayers are occasionally offered.Although originally built among small farms, the surrounding land has been transformed into large-scale agricultural operations, and only a few services are held at the church today. Its proximity to the Temple of Saints Peter and Paul in Dickie Bush has also reduced the need for frequent services.The adjacent Holy Ascension Cemetery remains active, with Archpriest Vasyl and Matushka Vasylyna Ostashek, long-serving leaders of the parish, among those buried there. Matushka Lena, born and raised in the parish, was also married here.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church is a historic Carpenter Gothic-style building situated along the banks of the Churchill River in Stanley Mission, part of the Lac La Ronge First Nation and Lac La Ronge Provincial Park in Saskatchewan, Canada.Designed by Rev. Robert Hunt, an English missionary who established Stanley Mission in 1851 with permission from the Hudson's Bay Company, the church was constructed between 1854 and 1860. Local Cree craftsmen built it using locally sourced lumber, while Hunt brought hardware and stained glass from England. Once the heart of a large missionary complex that included nearly 30 buildings and a cemetery, the church remains the oldest standing building in Saskatchewan. Though not the seat of a bishop, its impressive size, with a tall central nave and intricate spire, has earned it the nickname 'cathedral.'In 1970, Holy Trinity Anglican Church was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. It also became a provincially registered historic site on August 26, 1981. On June 10, 2010, a ceremony marked its 150th anniversary.

The first church was built in 1905 on a fifteen-acre site located one and a half miles west and one mile south of Smuts. It was destroyed by fire in 1925, and a second church was erected on the same site in 1926. By then, the site had been reduced to ten acres, as five acres were given by the parishioners for the construction of a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox church. In 1954, the church was relocated to a half-acre site in western Smuts. Archbishop Basil Ladyka blessed the church and altar in 1932, and Bishop Andrew Roborecki visited in 1954 and 1962.The church is a wooden cruciform structure measuring 67 by 39 feet, featuring an open central dome and smaller cupolas on the front towers. The interior and exterior walls are clad in narrow wood siding, the roof is shingled, and the domes are covered in white sheet metal.Inside, the church is centered around a large, well-lit octagonal dome and includes a sanctuary, sacristies, nave, and choir loft. An adjoining separately roofed porch functions as a vestibule. The main altar, along with two small side altars dedicated to the Mother of God and Christ the Redeemer, were hand-carved by Stepan Meush using a technique known as 'rizba.' The painting behind the main altar, depicting the church patron, is also by Meush. The church has wooden pews seating approximately 170 people, and features electricity and central oil heating. The total construction cost was $11,000, funded through the generous voluntary labor of parishioners, with E. Slonetsky serving as the chief foreman.In 1926, parishioners constructed a single bell belfry near the church and installed a cross to commemorate the parish’s Holy Mission. The Prosvita Home of Andrey Sheptytsky, initially serving as the rectory, was reconstructed into a parish hall in 1934 under Rev. Stephen Semczuk’s pastorate and later relocated with the church to its current site in Smuts. The original site remains as the parish cemetery. Ivan Pryma donated the combined fifteen-acre church and cemetery site, and the parish was named 'na Pryymovim' in his honor.Ukrainian settlement in the Smuts district began in 1900, with settlers mainly from Borshchiv and Horodenka counties. The parish was established during the construction of the first and second churches with the help of early pastors Rev. Tymofey Wasylewich and Rev. Roman Cherepaniak. In 1926, the parish executive included P. Rypchynski, V. Shawaga, D. Turchyniak, and I. Dziadyk. Membership statistics included 45 members and 120 children in 1941, 125 souls in 1961, 138 people in 1967, and 10 families in 1975. By 2003, the parish was directed by Rev. Deacon Ray Lalach.The Ukrainian Catholic parish of St. John the Baptist at Smuts is part of the Vonda mission district.

St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, a Municipal Heritage Property, is situated in the Hamlet of Smuts, approximately 45 kilometers northeast of Saskatoon. This designation covers a one-story, wood-frame church and belfry on about one hectare of land.The church holds heritage value for its ties to the local Ukrainian community, which began settling in the Smuts district in 1900. Initially, the settlers built a church three kilometers southwest of the current location. After the original church burned down in 1925, the present church was built and relocated to its current site in 1955. Perched on a hill overlooking the community, the church symbolizes the establishment of Ukrainian Greek Catholic faith in the region.Architecturally, the church is significant for its Neo-Byzantine style. It includes traditional Eastern church elements such as a cruciform footprint, a large onion-shaped central dome with two smaller domes on adjacent towers, and a detached belfry near the main entrance.The church's heritage value is reflected in its Neo-Byzantine design features, including its cruciform layout, onion-shaped domes, front towers, rounded-arch and stained glass windows, and the detached belfry. Additionally, its historical association with the Ukrainian community is highlighted by its original site orientation and prominent location.

Congregation Emanu-El, the oldest synagogue community in Canada, is celebrating its 161st year at Blanshard Street with a $1.5 million restoration project. The synagogue, a national historic site and rare example of 19th-century Romanesque Revival architecture, has seen increased attendance due to recent global and local events, including rising antisemitism and the Hamas-led attack on Israel. The current restoration includes both structural and aesthetic updates. Exterior repairs, underway since July (2024), focus on the rock foundation and brick walls using heritage mortar. This phase is expected to be completed by November (2024), with interior renovations starting in December (2024). So far, over $900,000 has been raised, including funds from the Victoria City Heritage Trust and the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation. The synagogue’s long history in Victoria includes challenges, such as financial difficulties in the 1950s that led to makeshift solutions like boarding up windows and installing stoves. Despite recent security concerns and the rise of antisemitism, the congregation finds reassurance in the enduring presence of their historic building.