St. Hyacinth's Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Hyacinth's Cathedral |
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| Cathédrale Saint-Hyacinthe-le-Confesseur | |
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| 45°37′29″N 72°56′57″W / 45.62472°N 72.94917°W | |
| Location | Saint-Hyacinthe Quebec |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
The Cathedral of St. Hyacinth the Confessor is a beautiful church located in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. It's also known by its French name, Cathédrale Saint-Hyacinthe-le-Confesseur. This special church is the main cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe. It was built in 1880 and designed in a style called Romanesque Revival, which looks a bit like old Roman buildings. The cathedral is named after St. Hyacinth of Poland.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The area around Saint-Hyacinthe became its own church region, called a diocese, on June 8, 1852. Jean-Charles Prince, who used to help the bishop in Montreal, became the first bishop of this new diocese.
At first, an old seminary building was used as the temporary main church, or pro-cathedral. A quick chapel-cathedral made of red brick was also built near the Hôtel-Dieu. However, during Bishop Prince's funeral in 1860, this temporary church started to show signs of weakness because of the large crowd.
New Leadership and Construction
Charles La Rocque became the bishop in March 1866. He saw that the church had many debts. To save money, he closed the bishop's official home and moved with his staff to Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil. There, he worked as both a bishop and a local pastor.
The building we see today was started by Bishop Louis-Zéphirin Moreau. He used the money saved by the previous bishop to fund the construction. The architect for this project was Adolphe Lévesque, and the building cost $50,000. The cathedral was named to honor St. Hyacinth, a Dominican priest. Bishop Moreau himself is buried inside the cathedral.
In September 2022, Bishop Christian Rodembourg led a special ceremony to formally dedicate the cathedral.
Cathedral Design and Changes
Adolphe Lévesque designed the cathedral in the Romanesque style. However, the front part of the building was very heavy. The clay soil it was built on couldn't support it well.
Major Renovations Over Time
A big repair project happened in 1908. Architects Maurice Perrault and Albert Mesnard worked to make the foundation stronger. They also replaced the original square towers with two taller, more slender bell towers. The beautiful art pieces showing the Stations of the Cross were added in 1913.
Another renovation took place in 1942. During this time, the side balconies were removed, and a new place for baptisms was added. After the Second Vatican Council, which was a big meeting for the Catholic Church, parts of the choir area were changed. New chandeliers made of Czechoslovakian glass were hung, replacing older neon lights. In 1975, Bishop Moreau's tomb was moved to the left side of the cathedral's transept. More repairs were done in 1998 and 1999 to the front entrance and the stone work.
Inside the Cathedral
The painting on the ceiling of the choir, which shows the Eternal Father, was created by the artist Ozias Leduc. In 1853, Bishop Ignace Bourget of Montreal gave Saint-Hyacinthe a type of organ called a harmonium. This instrument was used until a new, larger Casavant organ, known as opus 8, was installed in 1885.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Jacinto (Saint-Hyacinthe) para niños
