St. Jude's Cathedral (Iqaluit) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Jude's Cathedral |
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The new St. Jude's Cathedral, opened June 2012.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Anglican Church of Canada |
| District | Diocese of The Arctic |
| Province | Nunavut |
| Year consecrated | 2017 |
| Location | |
| Location | Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada |
St. Jude's Cathedral is an important Anglican church in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. Its full name is the Cathedral of St. Simon and St. Jude. This cathedral is the main church for the Diocese of The Arctic. This area covers a huge part of northern Canada, including the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northern Quebec. It is the largest Anglican church area in the world.
The cathedral also serves as the local church for Iqaluit. It holds services in both English and Inuktitut. Inuktitut is the language spoken by the Inuit people.
The History of St. Jude's Cathedral
The First Igloo Church
The first St. Jude's Cathedral was built in 1972. It was designed by an architect named Ronald Thom in 1970. Local volunteers helped to build it. This church was famous for its unique decorations. Many of these items were made by talented Inuit artists.
Some special decorations included beautiful wall hangings and woven baskets. There was also a cross made from narwhal tusks. A special soapstone baptismal font was also part of the church. Queen Elizabeth II herself dedicated this font during her visit to Iqaluit.
Rebuilding After a Fire
Sadly, the first St. Jude's Cathedral was badly damaged by a fire in November 2005. It was then taken down in June 2006. People had already started raising money for repairs in 2004. After the fire, they needed to raise even more money to rebuild.
The new church, often called the Igloo Cathedral, opened on June 3, 2012. It looks like a traditional igloo. This unique building has become a famous landmark and a popular spot for tourists in Iqaluit. It is also very important for the spiritual life of the people of Iqaluit, known as Iqalummiut.
The new building was made with special fire-resistant materials. Some parts from the old cathedral were saved and put into the new one. This includes the altar cross made from narwhal tusks. A silver bowl given by the Queen at the first groundbreaking ceremony in 1970 was also placed in the new church. By 2017, the church had finished paying for all the rebuilding costs.
