St. Mary's Cathedral (Calgary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary's Cathedral |
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| The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary | |
St Mary's Cathedral Calgary
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| Location | 219 18th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | as sandstone church in 1889 |
| Dedication | October 30, 1955 |
| Dedicated | February 1957, |
| Consecrated | December 11, 1957 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Norman-Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Calgary |
St. Mary's Cathedral is a special church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral, which means it is the main church for the Diocese of Calgary. Its full name is The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Contents
History of St. Mary's Cathedral
Early Beginnings in Mission District
St. Mary's started as a church made of sandstone in 1889. It was built near the Elbow River on land given by the Canadian Pacific Railway. This area was known as the Mission District. This name came from Father Albert Lacombe, who settled there in 1884. The first Catholic mission in the area was called Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix.
The land Father Lacombe received was also used to create a French-speaking village called Rouleauville. Over time, this village became mostly English-speaking. In 1907, Calgary took over Rouleauville, making St. Mary's part of the city. St. Mary's School was also built nearby on the same land.
Becoming a Cathedral
On November 30, 1912, Pope Pius X created the Diocese of Calgary. At this time, St. Mary's became the main church, or cathedral. It became the official home for the Bishop of Calgary.
Building the New Cathedral
The old sandstone cathedral was taken down starting on July 21, 1955. A new beginning for the church happened on October 30, 1955, when the first stone for the new cathedral was laid. The construction of the new building finished in February 1957. The Most Reverend Francis P. Carroll, who was the Bishop of Calgary, officially dedicated the church on December 11, 1957.
Architecture and Design
The new St. Mary's Cathedral was designed by architects Maxwell Bates and Alfred Hodges. Jan Bobrowski and Partners were the engineers for the project. The Bird Construction Company Ltd. built the cathedral. The total cost to build this impressive church was C$1,000,000.
Building Materials and Style
The cathedral is built using bricks with special sandstone details. It is designed in a Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like older Gothic churches. The church's floor plan is shaped like a "T" or Tau cross, also known as a St. Anthony's Cross. This is different from the usual Latin cross shape found in many Western Christian churches.
Above the main entrance, there is a large stone statue. It is 4.9 meters (16 feet) tall and shows the Virgin Mary holding the Child. This beautiful statue was created by a Calgary artist named Luke Lindoe.
Special Features Inside
Senator Pat Burns gave four large bells to the church in 1904. These bells weigh 750 pounds (340 kg) each. They were made by the Paccard Foundry in Annecy, France. These bells are the only parts from the very first church building that were used in the new cathedral.
The tabernacle, which holds sacred items, along with the chalices, monstrance, candle holders, and sanctuary lamp, were all designed and made by Gunning and Son Bronze Works in Dublin. The pulpit, where sermons are given, was designed by the architects. It was made from oak wood by the Globe Furniture Company in Waterloo, Ontario. The carvings on the pulpit show figures of Christ and four important prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, and Daniel.
All the colorful stained glass windows throughout the cathedral were made by Franz Mayer & Co. in Munich.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Santa María (Calgary) para niños
