St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica - London, Ontario. The parish now known as St. Peter's was established 10 August A.D. 1834 and the first church was constructed of logs. Prior to this, a travelling priest …More
St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica - London, Ontario.
The parish now known as St. Peter's was established 10 August A.D. 1834 and the first church was constructed of logs. Prior to this, a travelling priest visited the area to celebrate Mass for Catholic residents. The church was dedicated to St. Lawrence and could hold 180 people. It was destroyed along with much of the town in the London fire of 11 April A.D. 1845.
The new church was located at the northeast corner of Dufferin and Richmond, just in front of the present structure. This land was granted by the Crown to Bishop Alexander Macdonell of the Diocese of Kingston. The cornerstone for the new church was laid 29 June A.D. 1851, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The Diocese of London was created in A.D. 1856 and Bishop Pierre-Adolphe Pinsoneault selected St. Lawrence as his cathedral renaming the church St. Peter's. In A.D. 1859, Bishop Pinsoneault moved the seat to Windsor where it remained until A.D. 1868 when Bishop John Walsh, Pinsoneault's successor, moved it back to London.
The structure was built in a 13th-century French French Gothic Revival style between A.D. 1880 and A.D. 1885. The Cathedral was dedicated 28 June A.D. 1885. The first stained glass windows were added in A.D. 1889 but the interior decoration was not completed until A.D. 1926. The Casavant organ was also installed in that year.
In A.D. 1958, the twin towers of the facade, Lady Chapel and sacristy were added, stained glass windows were installed in the narthex and additional interior painting and decoration completed. St. Peter's was raised to the status of a minor basilica 13 December A.D. 1961 by Pope John XXIII.
(Left image: Sanctuary with High Altar in A.D. 1967 | Right image: current Sanctuary)
The parish now known as St. Peter's was established 10 August A.D. 1834 and the first church was constructed of logs. Prior to this, a travelling priest visited the area to celebrate Mass for Catholic residents. The church was dedicated to St. Lawrence and could hold 180 people. It was destroyed along with much of the town in the London fire of 11 April A.D. 1845.
The new church was located at the northeast corner of Dufferin and Richmond, just in front of the present structure. This land was granted by the Crown to Bishop Alexander Macdonell of the Diocese of Kingston. The cornerstone for the new church was laid 29 June A.D. 1851, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The Diocese of London was created in A.D. 1856 and Bishop Pierre-Adolphe Pinsoneault selected St. Lawrence as his cathedral renaming the church St. Peter's. In A.D. 1859, Bishop Pinsoneault moved the seat to Windsor where it remained until A.D. 1868 when Bishop John Walsh, Pinsoneault's successor, moved it back to London.
The structure was built in a 13th-century French French Gothic Revival style between A.D. 1880 and A.D. 1885. The Cathedral was dedicated 28 June A.D. 1885. The first stained glass windows were added in A.D. 1889 but the interior decoration was not completed until A.D. 1926. The Casavant organ was also installed in that year.
In A.D. 1958, the twin towers of the facade, Lady Chapel and sacristy were added, stained glass windows were installed in the narthex and additional interior painting and decoration completed. St. Peter's was raised to the status of a minor basilica 13 December A.D. 1961 by Pope John XXIII.
(Left image: Sanctuary with High Altar in A.D. 1967 | Right image: current Sanctuary)