Church of the Gesù (Montreal) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of the Gesù
Église du Gesù
Front entrance
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Location	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Founder(s)	Society of Jesus
Dedication	Sacred Heart
Architecture
Architect(s)	Patrick Keely
Style	Baroque Revival architecture
Groundbreaking	1864
Completed	July 10, 1865
Administration
Archdiocese	Archdiocese of Montreal

The Church of the Gesù (also known as Église du Gesù in French) is a Roman Catholic Church located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. You can find it at 1202 Bleury Street in the area called Ville-Marie. It used to be right next to the Collège Sainte-Marie.

History of the Church of the Gesù
- Building a Roman-Style Church
- Early Innovations and Preservation
Amazing Architecture
Gallery
See also

History of the Church of the Gesù

Building a Roman-Style Church

Ignace Bourget was the second bishop of Montreal. He wanted the churches in his area (called a diocese) to look like famous churches in Rome. For example, the Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in Montreal was designed to look like St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

In the same way, the Church of the Gesù was built to resemble the original Church of the Gesù in Rome, Italy. Construction on the Montreal church started in 1864. It officially opened its doors on July 10, 1865.

Early Innovations and Preservation

The Church of the Gesù was home to an exciting event in 1878. It was where the very first "electric candle" in Canada was lit! This was a big step in using electricity for lighting.

The Jesuits, a group of Catholic priests, ran the Collège Sainte-Marie. This college was built just south of the church. The college building was taken down in 1975. However, the Church of the Gesù was saved and carefully restored in 1983.

Amazing Architecture

Inside the Church of the Gesù, showing its grand design.

Inspired by Rome

The plans for the Church of the Gesù were created by Patrick Keely. He was an experienced architect from Ireland and the United States. His designs were greatly inspired by the Church of the Gesù in Rome. That Roman church is a grand example of Baroque style. It's also where Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus, is buried. The Montreal church kept the Italian name of Jesus, just like its Roman model.

Unique Montreal Design

Even though it's inspired by Rome, the Gesù in Montreal is not an exact copy. It's still a very large church, covering about 4,400 square meters (about 47,360 square feet). The ceiling inside is very high, reaching about 22.9 meters (75 feet) above the ground. This church is special because it's the only one in Montreal built entirely in the Baroque style.

The original plan was to have two bell towers on either side of the main entrance. The bottom parts of these towers were built. However, the towers were never finished because there wasn't enough money. A lot of the money raised for the church was instead used to support the Collège Sainte-Marie.

Inside the Church

The ceiling, called a vault, has five large arches. These arches are decorated with beautiful frescoes. Frescoes are paintings done on wet plaster. These specific frescoes were created by an American painter named Daniel Muller. He copied art from the German school of Düsseldorf, and his paintings show scenes from the life of Jesus.

Inside the church, you can also find a statue of Notre-Dame-de-Liesse. This statue was brought all the way from France in 1877. It's very special because it contains the ashes of the original statue, which was burned during the French Revolution.

A Cultural Hub

The basement of the Church of the Gesù has been turned into an auditorium. This makes it one of the oldest cultural centers in Montreal. It has been very important for Montreal's art and performance scene. Many local and international performers have appeared there. This includes groups like the Compagnons de Saint-Laurent and the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde.