Saint-Germain Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint-Germain Cathedral |
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| 48°27′03″N 68°31′39″W / 48.4509°N 68.5276°W | |
| Location | Rimouski, Quebec |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Consecrated | 28 May 1853 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Bien culturel du Québec, National Historic Sites of Canada |
| Architectural type | Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rimouski |
| Province | Canada |
The Saint-Germain Cathedral is a beautiful Roman Catholic church. It is located in the city of Rimouski, which is in Québec, Canada. This cathedral is the main church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rimouski. Think of it as the most important church in that area.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Becoming a Cathedral
This church became a cathedral on January 15, 1867. This special change was made by Jean Langevin, who was the first bishop of Rimouski. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in the church. The building itself was officially blessed and set apart for holy use on May 28, 1853.
The Great Fire of 1950
On May 6, 1950, a huge fire swept through Rimouski. People called it the nuit rouge, which means "Red Night." Almost half of the town was burned down. The fire started at a sawmill owned by the Price Brothers Company.
Amazingly, the Saint-Germain Cathedral was saved from the flames. There's a famous story about this event. People say that a priest sprinkled holy water around the cathedral. The legend claims that the fire would not cross this line, protecting the church from harm.
Design and Features
Outside Look
The outside of the cathedral has a neo-Gothic style. This means it looks like old Gothic churches but was built more recently. You can see pointed arch windows, which are tall and narrow with a pointed top. These windows are decorated with colorful stained glass. The building also has strong supports called buttresses and tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles. Grey stones were used to build the exterior walls.
Inside Details
The inside of the cathedral also has a Gothic feel. The ceiling looks like a diagonal rib vault, which is a fancy way of saying it has arched supports that cross each other. The main part of the ceiling is very high, reaching about 28 meters (90 feet). The inner ceiling is also tall, about 18 meters (60 feet).
Bells and Organ
In 1891, three large bells were put into the cathedral. Together, these bells weigh a total of 1,641 kilograms! The cathedral is also well-known for its amazing Casavant Frères organ. Organs like this are huge musical instruments with many pipes.
Architectural Contributions
A talented architect named Joseph J.B. Verret designed the Bishop's Palace. This building was made in 1901 for Monseigneur André-Albert Blais, who was a bishop connected to the Saint-Germain Roman Catholic Cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Germán (Rimouski) para niños
