St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica (London, Ontario) facts for kids

St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica is a very important church located at 196 Dufferin Avenue in London, Ontario, Canada. It is a Roman Catholic church and serves as the main church, or cathedral, for the Diocese of London. It also has the special title of a "minor basilica," given by the Pope himself!

What is St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica?

St. Peter's is a large and beautiful church that serves as the main church for the Roman Catholic community in the London area. It is called a "cathedral" because it is where the local bishop has his special chair, called a cathedra. This chair shows his role as the spiritual leader of the diocese.

The church is also a "minor basilica." This is a special honor given by the Pope to churches that are very important for their history, beauty, or spiritual meaning.

A Look Back: The History of St. Peter's

The story of St. Peter's began a long time ago, even before the current building was built.

Early Churches and Fires

The first Catholic community in London started on August 10, 1834. At first, a priest would travel to the area to hold church services. Soon after, a small church made of logs was built. It was named St. Lawrence and could hold about 180 people. Sadly, this church was destroyed in a big fire that swept through London on April 11, 1845.

After the fire, people worked together to build a new, larger church using donated materials. But bad luck struck again! This second church also burned down in August 1850.

A third church, also named St. Lawrence, was then built from brick. The land for this church was given by the King or Queen of England to Bishop Alexander Macdonell. The first stone for this new church was laid on June 29, 1851, a special day for Saints Peter and Paul.

Becoming a Cathedral

In 1856, the Diocese of London was created. This meant London would have its own bishop and become a more important center for the Catholic Church. The first bishop, Pierre-Adolphe Pinsoneault, chose St. Lawrence Church to be his cathedral. He then renamed it St. Peter's.

For a short time, Bishop Pinsoneault moved the main church to Windsor in 1859. However, in 1868, the next bishop, John Walsh, moved it back to London.

Building the Grand Cathedral We See Today

Bishop Walsh believed that the diocese needed a truly grand cathedral that would be a monument for its people. He chose a famous architect named Joseph Connolly to design the new building.

Construction began in July 1880. The church was built in a beautiful style called French Gothic Revival, which looks like churches from the 13th century in France. The main part of the cathedral was finished and dedicated on June 28, 1885.

The first stained glass windows were added in 1889. The inside of the church, including its decorations, was not fully completed until 1926. That same year, a large pipe organ, made by Casavant, was also installed.

The two towers at the front of the church were finished in 1957.

Later Additions and Special Honors

More work was done on the cathedral in 1958. The two tall towers at the front of the church were added, along with the Lady Chapel and sacristy (a room where priests prepare for services). More stained glass windows were put in, and the interior was painted and decorated further.

A very special event happened on December 13, 1961. Pope John XXIII gave St. Peter's the special title of a minor basilica.

In 1968, the inside of the Cathedral Basilica was updated. The old main altar and communion rails were removed, and a new marble altar was put in place. The bishop's special chair, the cathedra, was moved to behind the altar. These changes made the main worship area much larger.

Today, the bishop of the Diocese of London is the Most Reverend Ronald Fabbro.

Images for kids

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  The beautiful interior of St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica.