Church sights in Montréal
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A
Église St Michel
This Byzantine-style church dominates the corner of Rue St-Urbain and Rue St-Viateur. Its dome and soaring turret make it one of the more unique examples of church architecture in Montréal. Completed in 1915, St Michel served a mostly Irish community up through the 1960s (when it was known as ‘St Mike’s’ and was the largest English-speaking parish in Montréal). Intriguing elements include the massive dome with a depiction of St Michael vanquishing the seven-headed serpent (representing the seven deadly sins), figures of downward-descending angels (representing the fallen angels cast into hell) painted on the pendentives, and the shamrocks hidden in the design elements. To…
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B
Église Madonna della Difesa
Our Lady of Protection Church was built in 1919 according to the drawings of Florence-born Guido Nincheri (1885–1973), who spent the next two decades working on the Roman-Byzantine structure. The artist painted the church’s remarkable frescoes, including one of Mussolini on horseback with a bevy of generals in the background. The work honored the formal recognition by Rome of the pope’s sovereignty over Vatican City in 1929 and was unveiled a few years later as Hitler came to power. During WWII, Nincheri and others who had worked on the building were interned by the Canadian authorities. The fresco, still controversial, can be viewed above the high marble altar.
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C
Église St-Jean-Baptiste
Dedicated to St John the Baptist, the patron saint of French Canadians, this church was the hub of working-class Catholic families in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Plateau residents weren’t rich but they channeled large sums of money into the colorful interior, especially after two disastrous fires. The altar is white imported marble, the chancel canopy is in pink marble and there are two Casavant organs. The acoustics are splendid and the church plays host to numerous classical concerts throughout the year.
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D
Église St-Viateur
If you are already on Ave Laurier for the shopping and food, poke your head into this church, opened in 1910. The interior is pure Gothic Revival with ornate paintings, stained glass, hand-crafted cabinets and sculptures by renowned Montréal artists; the impressive ceiling vaults depict the life of St Viateur. Funeral services for former prime minister Pierre Trudeau were held here in 2000.
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St Francis Xavier Church
At the Kahnawake Indian Reserve, the St Francis Xavier Church was established as a Catholic mission for the Aboriginal people and has a small museum with drawings and religious artifacts. Sunday Mass at 10:30am is in English but the choir sings in Mohawk.
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