St. Patrick's Church ( French Basilique Saint-Patrick de Montréal , English St. Patrick's Basilica ) is a Catholic church located in the city of Montreal , Canada . The church is a small basilica , cultural and historical center of the Irish community of Montreal and a national monument of Quebec.
History
Since 1817, English-speaking Catholics gathered in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Heart . In the first half of the 19th century, the number of Irish people increased significantly in Montreal. In 1843, construction began on the Church of St. Patrick.
The temple was built in neo-Gothic style . In 1852, the parish acquired an organ. The church has stained glass windows depicting numerous Catholic saints. There are ten bells in the temple, the oldest of which dates back to the 1774th year of manufacture and bears the name Charlotte. The bell system was restored in 1989.
Inside the church are historical sites. Parishioner Thomas McGee , one of the founders of the Canadian Confederation, sat on pew No. 240 during worship. In the back of the temple is a plaque dedicated to the Canadian poet Emil Nelligan indicating that he was baptized in this temple.
In 1985, the Church of St. Patrick was included in the list of national monuments of Quebec.
In 1989, Pope John Paul II awarded the Church of St. Patrick the title of Lesser Basilica.