Cathedral of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste facts for kids
The Cathedral of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste is an important church in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil. This means it's where the bishop of the area has his official church.
Contents
History
Building the First Church
The story of the cathedral began in 1828. At that time, it was a simple church for the local community. People living in the area had to travel far for church services. They even had to cross the Richelieu River to go to Montreal, which was about 50 kilometers (30 miles) away. So, a church closer to home was very much needed. The first church building faced a street called Rue Jacques-Cartier.
A Bigger and Better Church
After about 30 years, the first church needed many repairs. The town was also growing and becoming more important. Because of this, people decided to build a new, larger church. Construction started in 1861 and took five years to finish. A person named Victor Bourgeau was the architect, meaning he designed the building. The inside of the church was designed by Napoléon Bourassa. The new church faced a different street, Rue Longueuil. Later, in 1923, the front of the church and its tall steeple were repaired.
Becoming a Cathedral
In June 1933, the church became even more special. The area around Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu was separated from the larger Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal. It became its own new church region, called the Diocese of Saint-Jean-de-Québec. Because of this, the church was chosen to be the main church, or cathedral, for this new diocese. In 1982, the diocese changed its name to what it is today. Another church, the Church of Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue, was also named a co-cathedral. This helped serve the northern part of the diocese.
The Cathedral Today
Today, the Cathedral of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste serves the southwest part of its diocese. It now includes areas from five other churches that have closed. These churches closed because they needed too many repairs or due to money reasons. The cathedral continues to be a central place for the community.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Juan Evangelista (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu) para niños
