Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilicaof Christ the King |
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Entrance on the south side
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 Cathedral Basilica
of Christ the King Location in Southern Ontario
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| 43°15′49″N 79°53′29″W / 43.26348°N 79.89132°W | |
| Location | 714 King Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8P 1C7 |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Cathedral of Christ the King |
| Status | Cathedral, minor basilica |
| Dedication | Christ the King |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Hamilton |
| Province | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto |
The Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King is a big Roman Catholic church in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It was officially opened on December 19, 1933. This church is special because it's the main church for the Diocese of Hamilton. It's where the bishop of the diocese, currently Most Rev. Douglas Crosby, has his special chair called a cathedra. In February 2013, Pope Benedict XVI gave it the extra title of a minor basilica, which is a special honor from the Pope.
The cathedral sits on top of a hill. You can see it from Highway 403 as you drive into Hamilton. On the south side of the bell tower, there's a special stone. This stone was blessed by Bishop McNally, who helped build the cathedral. It came from ancient Roman catacombs. This shows the church's connection to early Christian history. The cathedral is also close to the offices for the Diocese of Hamilton.
Contents
What Happens at the Cathedral?
Sunday church services, called Masses, are usually led by the parish rector. Sometimes, the bishop or other guest priests will lead them. The cathedral basilica faces south. Its large "King Street" doors open to a grand stone staircase. This staircase leads down to the front parking lot.
The Tall Bell Tower
The church has a tall, pure Gothic bell tower. It is 165 feet (about 50 meters) high! You can see it from far away. Inside the tower are 23 bells. The biggest bell is called the Bourdon Bell. It weighs 4.5 tons! This huge bell was given by R. Bennett, who was the Prime Minister of Canada at the time. At night, bright lights shine on the cathedral. This makes it look very impressive, especially from the Hamilton escarpment.
Community Activities
As the main church for the Diocese of Hamilton, the cathedral is a busy place. Many activities for the Roman Catholic community happen here. Different groups meet, like the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Women's League. There are also groups for children, altar servers, and church ushers.
The cathedral has several choirs that sing during Masses. There's a main Cathedral Choir, a Tenor-Bass Men's choir, and Cathedral Cantors. These groups help lead the singing during services. The church also has councils that help the rector manage the parish.
History of the Cathedral
The Cathedral of Christ the King was designed by an architect named William Russell Souter. Construction took place from 1930 to 1933. A company called Pigott Construction Company built it. Joseph Pigott, who led the company, was a big builder in Hamilton. His company also built other famous buildings like City Hall.
Fire and Renovations
In 1981, the cathedral had some damage from a fire. Someone set fire to the confessionals near a side entrance. The fire damaged the floor, the main pulpit, and a stained glass window. After the fire, the church had many renovations. They repaired the damage and updated parts of the church.
A new marble altar was added, made from the original one. The stained glass window that showed Mary Magdalene was rebuilt. An 85-year-old craftsman named F. Meyer, who had made the original window, came out of retirement to fix it. He rebuilt it exactly as it was planned in 1930. The two marble side altars were also moved back to make the sanctuary area larger. A beautiful marble floor was put in the chancel, replacing the old cork floor.
Amazing Architecture
The inside of the cathedral looks like a 13th-century English Gothic church. Its walls and pillars are made from two kinds of limestone: Indiana limestone and Ontario Credit Valley limestone. The ceiling is vaulted, meaning it has curved arches, and is decorated with gold bosses. It looks just like the ceiling of Norwich Cathedral in England.
Seating and Art
The cathedral can seat over 1,000 people in the main area (nave) and 200 in the sanctuary. There are flat-screen TVs on the columns so everyone can see. On the left side, an altar has a large painting of Christ entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This altar also holds the holy oils in three gold urns. The right side altar has a huge painting of the Nativity Scene. It also has a mosaic of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
A large, 88-ton marble structure called a ciborium stands over the tabernacle at the north end of the cathedral. It's shaped like a crown, which symbolizes royalty. Even though this isn't typical for Gothic churches, its design fits perfectly.
Special Carvings
The chairs for the priests and the choir stalls have pelicans carved into their armrests. The pelican is an old symbol of self-sacrifice. It's said that a mother pelican will feed its babies with its own blood if it can't find food. This symbolizes Christ giving his blood for us.
Stained Glass Windows
The cathedral has 82 beautiful stained glass windows made by F. Meyer of Munich, Germany. Some windows show stories from the New Testament. Others show different saints high up on the walls. At the very back, above the organ, there's a grand rose window. This window shows the Communion of Saints and Christ the King. Some of the saints in the rose window include the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Peter, and St. Francis of Assisi. The bottom panels also show Pope Pius XI and Bishop John McNally.
The main part of the church, called the nave, is 235 feet long. It has two side aisles with large Indiana limestone pillars. The nave is 72 feet wide and 90 feet high. At the back entrance, there's a solid oak statue of Christ the King.
The choir loft holds a huge pipe organ built in Bavaria, Germany. It has almost 5,000 pipes! Robert Corso is the organist and music director. The organ has 84 sets of pipes, some in the chancel and some in the gallery. The sound of the organ can range from a very deep bass to a very bright, clear sound. In 2016, a new organ console was installed. It allows the organist to conduct the choirs while playing. Rebuilding the organ today would cost a lot of money.
Unique Marble Floors and Stations of the Cross
The cathedral also has Italian marble floors that create a cool optical illusion called trompe-l'œil. The black squares on the floor look like they are popping up, adding depth. This style is also used around the tabernacle and on the back of the presidential chairs.
The cathedral also has 14 stunning Stations of the Cross. These are 3/4 bas relief carvings made in Italy from white Cararra marble. This is the same type of marble that Michelangelo used for his famous Pieta sculpture in Rome.
McNally Hall
Beneath the main church, there's a hall called McNally Hall. You can get to it through a side door near the rectory. It was named after Bishop John Thomas McNally, who built the cathedral. This hall was renovated in the early 2000s. The Marian Chapel, used for daily Mass, is also in the basement. There's also a choir rehearsal room, kitchen, and washrooms near McNally Hall.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de Cristo Rey (Hamilton) para niños
