St. Josaphat Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Josaphat Cathedral |
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| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Provincial Historic Resource - 1983 |
| Architect(s) | Phillip Ruh |
| Style | Prairie Cathedral (first of this style) |
| Groundbreaking | 1939 |
| Completed | 1947 |
| Construction cost | $250,000 ($3.44 million in 2021 dollars ) |
| Specifications | |
| Number of domes | 7 |
| Dome height (outer) | 100 feet |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton |
St. Josaphat Cathedral is a beautiful Ukrainian Catholic church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is known for its unique design, which is one of the best examples of Byzantine Rite church architecture in Canada. Since 1948, it has been a cathedral, which means it is the main church for a bishop. The cathedral is easy to spot with its seven domes, a grand entrance with columns, and red brick walls decorated with darker bricks and cream-colored crosses.
History of the Cathedral
The church community started in 1902. At first, they didn't have a permanent building. In 1904, a small church made of logs was built. This happened under the leadership of Reverend Sozont Dydyk.
The current, much larger building was designed in 1938. Construction began in 1939 and finished in 1947. In 1948, Edmonton became the home of a new church region called an exarchate. Because of this, St. Josaphat Church became a cathedral. The first bishop for this new region was Bishop Neil N. Savaryn.
Starting in 1951, artists began painting the inside of the cathedral. They created amazing murals, frescos, and icons. This work was led by Professor Julian Bucmaniuk, a famous mural artist. Later, in 1968, the iconostasis was built. An iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings that separates the nave from the sanctuary in Eastern Christian churches.
The cathedral is also important for its history. In 1983, the province of Alberta named it a Provincial Historic Resource. This means it's a special building that needs to be protected. The City of Edmonton also recognized it as a Municipal Historic Resource in 2015.
Amazing Architecture and Design
The current cathedral was designed by Reverend Philip Ruh in 1938. He was a missionary from Belgium. Reverend Ruh studied the traditional Byzantine church designs from Ukraine. He wanted to make sure the building felt right for the Ukrainian community.
His design mixes parts of Ukrainian Baroque style with ideas from Western European buildings. This blend created a special Canadian style called "Prairie Cathedral." This cathedral is thought to be "the most elaborate Ukrainian Church in Alberta." It is also considered "one of the finest examples of Ukrainian-Canadian church architecture."
Reverend Ruh also designed other important churches. These include St. George Cathedral in Saskatoon. He also designed the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Cooks Creek, Manitoba. That church was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1996.
