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St. Patrick's Basilica - Montreal
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.
Type of Data Point - Basic Data Point - Source Wikipedia
St. Patrick's Basilica, Montreal - Wikipedia
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Inserted: 09-11-2024 23:11:54
Questions related to this Data Point
How did St. Patrick's Basilica become connected to the Irish-Canadian community?
How has the Casavant Frères organ at St. Patrick's Basilica evolved over time?
How have the restoration efforts at St. Patrick's Basilica been funded and executed?
What architectural features distinguish St. Patrick's Basilica as a gothic revival structure?
What role did Irish immigration play in the establishment of St. Patrick's Basilica?
Why was St. Patrick's Basilica designated a historic monument and National Historic Site?
Why was St. Patrick's Basilica promoted to a minor basilica in 1989?
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Inter-war period in Lithuania - Architecture
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Religious buildings in Canada
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