St. Paul's Cathedral (Regina, Saskatchewan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Cathedral |
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St Paul's Cathedral, Regina, 2008
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| 50°26′57″N 104°36′58″W / 50.4491°N 104.6161°W | |
| Location | Regina, Saskatchewan |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Anglican Church of Canada |
| Website | stpaulsregina.com |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Paul's |
| Deanery | Wascana |
| Diocese | Qu'Appelle |
| Province | Ruperts Land |
St Paul's Anglican Cathedral is an old and important church in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It's located just outside the city's main business area. This building was first built as a regular church in 1894–1895.
Later, in 1944, it became a "pro-cathedral" for the Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle. A pro-cathedral is like a temporary main church for a diocese. Before this, another church in Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan held that title. Finally, in 1973, St Paul's officially became the main cathedral for the diocese. This happened because plans for a much bigger cathedral in Regina didn't work out.
Contents
What the Church Looks Like
This church can hold about 300 people. It has a pointed roof, which is a common style for churches. The design is simple, both inside and out. This shows that the Anglican Church in Western Canada didn't have a lot of money or members back then.
There's a special small chapel called the Lady Chapel on the south side of the main church. Downstairs, in the basement, there's a columbarium. This is a place where people can keep the ashes of loved ones after cremation.
The church's history in Regina goes back to 1882, when the town was first started. That's when the land for the church was bought.
- In 1883, a wooden church building was opened. It was 50 feet long and 24 feet wide.
- The current church, made of brick and fieldstone, was built in 1894–1895.
- More parts, like a chancel (the area around the altar) and transepts (parts that stick out like arms of a cross), were added in 1905–06.
St Paul's is the oldest church building in Regina that is still being used today. The organ has been moved around a few times over the years.
The church has an interesting story:
- It started as a smaller church when the main church activities were elsewhere.
- It became a temporary cathedral before a bigger one was planned.
- It ended up becoming the permanent cathedral when the bigger plans didn't happen.
A Look Back at History
When the Anglican Church was setting up new areas, they first chose the village of Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan to be the main city for the new Diocese of Qu'Appelle. This village is about 30 miles east of Regina.
However, the Lieutenant-Governor, Edgar Dewdney, bought a lot of land in a place called Pile-of-Bones. This place was soon renamed Regina. In 1883, he decided Regina would be the capital of the North-West Territories. This meant Regina would become much more important.
Even so, people in Qu'Appelle still hoped their town would stay important. The old pro-cathedral there was built in 1885. But as Regina grew, St Paul's in Regina took over as the pro-cathedral in 1944. The name "Qu'Appelle" for the diocese still reminds us of the beautiful Qu'Appelle Valley.
Once Regina became the capital of the territory and then the province in 1905, it made more sense for the main church (cathedral) to be in the capital city.
Over time, the main offices and schools of the diocese moved from Qu'Appelle, first to Indian Head, Saskatchewan, and then to Regina by the early 1900s.
In 1944, St Paul's in Regina officially became the pro-cathedral. At that time, there were big plans to build a very large cathedral on a piece of land at Broad Street and College Avenue. You can still see the outline of where it was supposed to be, marked by hedges!
But by 1974, it was clear that building such a huge cathedral wasn't possible. There weren't enough Anglicans in southern Saskatchewan, and not enough money. So, St Paul's was officially made the full cathedral.
The original house for the church's leader (called the rectory, and later the deanery) was next to the church. It was torn down, and a new house was bought. Now, the dean (the church's leader) gets money to find their own home.
St Paul's has had some great music and church services over the years. The inside of the cathedral was redecorated in the 1980s. There are also plans to replace the church hall, which is a separate building used for community events.
St Paul's as a Cathedral Church
The Diocese of Qu'Appelle used to own a large property in Regina. This land has now been sold to the province of Saskatchewan. This sale helped the diocese become financially independent. It was originally supported by the Church of England.
Buildings like the diocesan offices, a school, and the old bishop's house were on this property. They were rented back from the province for many years. The ambitious plan for a large cathedral on this site, outlined by hedges, is still a historical point of interest.
In 1973, it became clear that the diocese couldn't afford to build a large cathedral. It also couldn't support itself without selling its valuable land. So, St Paul's was officially made a cathedral.
A new, high-quality organ was installed in May 1974. This organ was a gift from the Whitmore family, costing $20,000. The new organ was first played on the first Sunday of May 1974.
The old organ pipes were in a different spot, and the choir used to stand in a different area. The new organ pipes are now above the north transept. The old organ room is now a sacristy, which is a room where priests prepare for services.
The church basement has been made much bigger and turned into a columbarium. This is a special place for urns containing cremated ashes. It's a safe, indoor space that is monitored by church staff.
St Paul's in the Community
St Paul's Cathedral has been a starting point for many important people in the church and in music.
- Several past bishops of Qu'Appelle, like Michael Coleman, Fredric Jackson, and Duncan Wallace, were deans (leaders) of St Paul's first.
- James Allan was also a dean here before becoming a bishop in another diocese.
- Michael Peers, who later became a bishop and then the head of the Anglican Church of Canada, was dean from 1974 to 1977.
Donald M. Kendrick was the organist and choirmaster in the mid-1970s. During his time, St Paul's was a major center for church music in Regina. Many Canadian musicians were trained there. It was Mr. Kendrick who suggested getting the current organ, with support from Dean Allan and the Whitmore family's donation.
Deans of Qu'Appelle
The dean of Qu'Appelle is also the main priest (rector) of St Paul's.
- ?–1970: Fredric Jackson
- 1970–1974: James Allan
- 1974–1977: Michael Peers
- 1978–1997: Duncan Wallace
- 1998–2011: James Merrett
- 2011–present: Mike Sinclair
Images for kids
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Organ in the north transept, first played May 4, 1974
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Organ in the north transept, May 4, 1975
See also
- Diocese of Qu'Appelle
- Anglican Church of Canada
- District of Assiniboia
