St. Mary’s Cathedral, one of several large 19th-century structures, is a dominant landmark in the centre of Kingston, Ont.
Aug. 13 marks the 175th anniversary of the cathedral’s consecration and a special mass of thanksgiving was held to mark the occasion.
Construction of the church began in 1843 and was completed five years later — a marvel that impressed the Archbishop of Kingston, Michael Mulhall.
“It was all done so quickly, which surprised me. I heard that they quarried the stone right here and they all did it with volunteer labour,” said Mulhall.
The cathedral is also significant in both Kingston and Canadian history.
“Quebec was the first diocese, that’s 400 years,” said Mulhall. “Then the second one was Kingston here, and so it was diocese for Upper Canada and stretched all the way to Detroit and beyond.”
Angela Gambin is a member of the 175th anniversary committee and provides tours of St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Beneath St. Mary’s are roughly 40 tombs that include nuns from the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph.
The nuns established Kingston’s first hospital, Hotel Dieu, in the mid-1840s.
The first five bishops of Kingston also lie beneath the church.
Gambin says there is a mystery surrounding Kingston’s 6th Bishop and first Archbishop of Kingston, James Vincent Cleary.
“He was originally reported as buried in St. James chapel, which is right next door to the cathedral,” said Gambin.
“His tomb is now empty. There are water pipes running through it, there’s no one buried there, but it’s a mystery as to where his body is.”
While no one is sure what has happened to the remains of Archbishop Cleary, his housekeeper, Elizabeth Minnitt, is buried in the crypt below the cathedral.
“She must have been very good at her job because she has the nicest tomb in the crypt of St. Mary’s,” said Gambin.
Inside the cathedral itself are 16 large columns that are mainly formed from old growth hardwood from the area.
“Entire trees supporting the weight of the roof still,” said Gambin.
The large stained-glass windows that run the length of the cathedral and the main spire at the front of the building are the result of the efforts of Archbishop Cleary in the late-1800s.
The first bell in the tower was named Patrick and rang for 100 years until it had to be replaced.
“During World War II, Patrick developed a large crack,” said Gambin.
“Patrick was replaced with the bell we currently use which is named Jean de Brebouf after a Canadian martyr.”
By the end of the 175th celebrations, another artifact was added to the tapestry of the cathedral.
Archbishop Mulhall blessed the new outdoor shrine dedicated to Sedes Sapientiae, Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom.