Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, Cathedral in Downtown Montreal, Canada.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral is a limestone minor basilica in Ville-Marie, Montreal, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal. Its symmetrical facade has four tall columns, a triangular pediment inscribed "BASILIQUE MARIE-REINE-DU-MONDE CATHÉDRALE", and twelve green statues along the roofline. A green dome with a cross rises above the pediment. The building measures 101 m long, 46 m wide, and 77 m high at the cupola.
After the old Saint-Jacques Cathedral burned down in 1852, construction of this new church began in 1875 following a design by Victor Bourgeau. The architect modeled it on the Rome basilica and created one of the first replicas of that famous building in North America.
The thirteen statues on the roof show patron saints of Montreal parishes and stand for the religious past of the city. Each figure connects to a specific neighborhood and recalls the believers who once gathered here.
Masses take place daily at 7:30 AM, 12:10 PM, and 5:00 PM, with an additional English service on Sundays at 8:00 AM. Visitors can explore the interior outside of service times, though quiet conversation and respectful behavior are expected.
The ciborium over the altar was made in Rome in 1900 by Joseph-Arthur Vincent, a hand-worked copy of Bernini's baldachin in St. Peter's. Its angels, garlands and papal insignia were carved between 1910 and 1911 by Olindo Gratton, and the Sulpicians donated the piece to the cathedral.
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