Shrine of the Canadian Martyrs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Martyrs' Shrine |
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| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Martyrs-Shrine.com |
| History | |
| Dedication | Canadian Martyrs |
| Administration | |
| Province | Toronto |
The Martyrs' Shrine is a special Roman Catholic church and historical site in Midland, Ontario, Canada. It's located near Georgian Bay. This shrine honors the Canadian Martyrs. These were six Jesuit priests and two helpers. They lived at a mission called Sainte-Marie among the Hurons. They were killed in the mid-1600s. Later, the Catholic Church recognized them as saints. The Martyrs' Shrine is one of six important national shrines in Canada. Other famous shrines include Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal and the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
The main church at the shrine is called the Church of St. Joseph. It was built in 1925. Its design mixes European and Indigenous building styles.
History of the Martyrs' Shrine
In 1907, Dennis O'Connor, who was the Archbishop of Toronto, blessed a small chapel. This chapel was in Waubaushene, Ontario, close to where St. Jean de Brébeuf and St. Gabriel Lalemant were killed.
Building the Shrine
In 1925, a Jesuit leader named Father John M. Filion decided to build a bigger church. He wanted it closer to the old Sainte-Marie mission. He bought a farm in Midland, Ontario, right across from Sainte-Marie. Building started that same year. Some materials came from the old Waubaushene church. Other materials were given by lumber companies from Northern Ontario.
Churches in London, Ontario and Toronto donated many things. These included pews, stained glass windows, and an altar. The inside of the church looks like an upside-down canoe. This unique design was created by Ildège Bourrie. The shrine was finished by the winter of 1925. It was officially blessed on June 25, 1926. Cardinal William Henry O'Connell from Boston, Massachusetts led the ceremony.
Relics and Visitors
The Martyrs' Shrine holds the bones of three saints. These are St. Jean de Brébeuf, St. Gabriel Lalemant, and St. Charles Garnier. Because the building does not have insulation, it gets very cold. So, the shrine closes in the fall and winter. During these colder months, the special containers holding the bones are moved out of the church.
The martyrs were officially made saints by Pope Pius XI in 1930. In September 1984, Pope John Paul II visited the Martyrs' Shrine. He prayed over the skull of St. Jean de Brébeuf during his visit.
See also
In Spanish: Santuario de los Mártires (Ontario) para niños
