Christ Church Cathedral (Ottawa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa |
|
|---|---|
Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa
|
|
| Denomination | Anglican Church of Canada |
| Churchmanship | Broad church |
| Website | ottawacathedral.ca |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Ottawa |
| Province | Ontario |
Christ Church Cathedral is a special Anglican church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It's called a cathedral because it's the main church for the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. You can find it at 414 Sparks Street, in the downtown area. It sits on a high spot looking down towards the Ottawa River.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
How it All Started
Back in 1800, a man named Philemon Wright came to Canada from Massachusetts. He traveled up the Ottawa River and found a good place to settle near the Chaudière Falls. This settlement grew into what is now Gatineau.
After the War of 1812, land was set aside for soldiers. In 1824, Nicholas Sparks crossed the river from Hull. He built a home on the high cliffs on the south side. This made him the first person to settle in what would become Bytown, and later, the city of Ottawa. Two years later, Colonel John By arrived with his team. They came to build the Rideau Canal, which connects the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario.
The First Church Building
In 1824, Reverend Amos Ansley came to Hull from England. He was sent to help the church community. Services were first held in a small schoolhouse in Hull. It was too small and not very handy.
Thanks to Philemon Wright, a small stone church was built. It opened on October 1, 1826. Reverend Ansley traveled a lot, even by canoe, to serve people in many different towns along the Ottawa River.
A New Church for Bytown
In 1828, important church leaders visited Bytown. They noticed that other groups like Presbyterians and Catholics had their own churches. But the Church of England followers did not. They felt a church was needed for the many Protestants in Bytown.
On October 6, 1828, they started collecting money for a new church. In 1832, Nicholas Sparks generously gave land for the church. He had also given land for other churches in Bytown. The first church building was planned to be 50 feet long and 30 feet wide.
Challenges and Growth
The Christ Church congregation officially started in 1833. The first service was held on July 21, 1833. For a while, people sat on rough wooden planks instead of proper pews. The church walls and ceiling weren't finished for years. It was so cold in winter that they had to close it because they didn't have enough heaters.
By 1841, Bytown was growing fast. The church was too small for everyone. Nicholas Sparks gave more land for the church to be made bigger. The new, larger part of the church was finished by October 1843. It was then named Christ's Church. Over the next 25 years, people tried to build an even bigger church. In 1872, the old church was taken down.
Building the Current Cathedral
In January 1872, everyone agreed to build a brand new church. The last service in the old church was on March 3, 1872. Then, they started tearing it down and building the new one.
The new Christ Church Cathedral was designed by King McCord Arnoldi. It was built in an English Gothic style. The first stone was laid on July 3, 1872. A time capsule with money and other items was placed inside. The building officially opened on September 29, 1873. The first service was held that day at 11:00 AM. The beautiful East Window is dedicated to the Sparks Family.
Becoming a Cathedral
In 1896, the Diocese of Ottawa was created. Christ Church was chosen to be its main church. On Easter Day in 1897, it was officially announced that Christ Church would become the cathedral for the new diocese.
Many plaques inside the cathedral remember people who served in wars. These include members of the North-West Mounted Police and soldiers from the Great War (World War I) and World War II.
In 1931, the church decided to make the front part (called the chancel) much bigger. This was to celebrate 100 years since the first church was started in Bytown. The work began after Easter 1932. On December 22, 1932, a special service was held in the new, larger chancel.
Beautiful Stained Glass
The cathedral has amazing stained glass windows. One window, called "I am alive forevermore," remembers Major Robert Donaldson and his family.
Another special window is the Memorial West Window. It was designed by Christopher Wallis in 1982. This window shows the cathedral's history, early explorers in Bytown, and even an ANIK-B satellite! The cathedral is often part of "Doors Open Ottawa" each June. This event lets people visit interesting buildings.
Christ Church Cathedral Today
Today, the Right Reverend Shane A.D. Parker is the Bishop of Ottawa. The Very Reverend Elizabeth J. Bretzlaff is the Dean of Ottawa and the main leader of Christ Church Cathedral. The church has many different groups and activities. It's a place where faith is explored in creative and traditional ways.
The cathedral is often used for important events. These include services for the whole diocese, meetings with other faiths, and even state funerals for Canadian Prime Ministers and Governors-General. It has also hosted Canadian funeral services for members of the Royal Family, like Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.
Since the 1970s, it has also been the main church for the Anglican Military Ordinariate of Canada. This means it's important for Anglican members of the Canadian Forces.
Music at the Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is known for its excellent music. It has a fantastic music program.
The Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys is the only all-male choir left in a Canadian Anglican cathedral. They are very talented and have sung in many famous cathedrals in the UK and France. They have also performed in the United States. The choir has 24 boys (ages 8-15) and 14 professional men.
The Cathedral Girls' Choir is also unique in Canadian Anglican cathedrals. They sing at church services and important events. They have toured in Europe and the United States. This choir has 25 members (ages 8-18) from across Canada's Capital Region.
In 2018, a third choir was added: a mixed-voice adult group. All the choirs share the singing duties for Sunday services and special feast days.
Many famous church musicians have worked at the cathedral over the years. James Calkin is currently the director of music and organist.
Organs
In 2009, the cathedral bought a Rodgers Trillium 958 organ. This is a digital organ, which means it uses technology to create sounds. It's very flexible and can make many different sounds. In 2014, a special trumpet stop was fixed, and another section was added. The cathedral hopes to get a new pipe organ in the future, but the digital organ works very well for now. They also have a smaller, portable organ.
Leaders of the Cathedral
The Dean of Ottawa is also the main leader of Christ Church. Here are some of the people who have served as Dean:
- c1900: John Strutt Lauder (First Dean of Ottawa)
- 1932–1938: Edgar Frank Salmon
- 1945–1953: Howard Hewlett Clark
- 1954–1962: John Ogle Anderson
- 1962–1970: Frederick Gartrell
- 1970–1983: Thomas Edward Downey
- 1984–1985: John Baycroft
- 1985-1990: Walter Asbil
- 1990–1999: Peter Coffin
- 1999–2020: Shane A.D. Parker
- 2020–present: Elizabeth J. Bretzlaff
See also
