Saint James United Church (Montreal)
Encyclopedia
Saint James United Church is a heritage church in downtown Montreal
, Quebec
. It is a Protestant church affiliated with the United Church of Canada
. It is located at 463 Saint Catherine Street
West between Saint Alexandre and City Councillors Streets (McGill
Metro
station), in the borough of Ville-Marie. It was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1996.
The Gothic Revival
church was designed by Montreal architect Alexander Francis Dunlop
. It is noteworthy for its false apse
housing church offices and for its Casavant Frères
organ.
, with 2,000 seats; it was nicknamed the "Cathedral Church of Methodism." It now belongs to the United Church of Canada
, into which the Canadian Methodists merged in 1925. Its congregation founded the first YMCA
in North America on November 25, 1851 (before the present church building was built) and led an active campaign for women's suffrage
early in the 20th century.
A World War I
memorial window (1924) by Charles William Kelsey
depicting a trench scene at St. James United Church (Montreal) was dedicated to 32 members who were killed overseas and 267 others who served in the Great War. The side lights represent the cardinal virtues, Justice
, Prudence
, Temperence and Fortitude.
In 1927, to cover upkeep costs, the church permitted a commercial building to be built in front of its Sainte Catherine Street façade. The building, adjoining the church's structure, concealed the church for over 78 years, the church itself being announced by a large neon sign
.
In 2005, as part of an $8-million restoration effort sponsored by the city of Montreal and the Quebec government, a portion of the commercial buildings were demolished, once again revealing the facade of the church as well as a new public square
designed by Quebec architect Claude Cormier
. Access has also been restored to the rear lawn from Sainte Catherine Street.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It is a Protestant church affiliated with the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
. It is located at 463 Saint Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street
This article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
West between Saint Alexandre and City Councillors Streets (McGill
McGill (Montreal Metro)
McGill is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located downtown in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada . The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network of the metro...
Metro
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
station), in the borough of Ville-Marie. It was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1996.
The Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
church was designed by Montreal architect Alexander Francis Dunlop
Alexander Francis Dunlop
Alexander Francis Dunlop, was a Canadian architect from Montreal, Quebec.-Biography:Alexander Francis Dunlop worked as an apprentice to Montreal architects George Browne and John James Browne. From 1871 to 1874 he lived and worked in Detroit, Michigan. He opened his own architectural firm in...
. It is noteworthy for its false apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
housing church offices and for its Casavant Frères
Casavant Frères
Casavant Frères is a prominent Canadian company in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, which has been building fine pipe organs since 1879. As of 2008, they have produced over 3800 organs.- Company history :...
organ.
History
When it was built in June 1889, it was the largest Methodist church in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, with 2,000 seats; it was nicknamed the "Cathedral Church of Methodism." It now belongs to the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
, into which the Canadian Methodists merged in 1925. Its congregation founded the first YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in North America on November 25, 1851 (before the present church building was built) and led an active campaign for women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
early in the 20th century.
A World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
memorial window (1924) by Charles William Kelsey
Charles William Kelsey
Charles William Kelsey was a Canadian artist best known for his stained glass work. He was born in 1877 in England.He trained in England. He emigrated to Montreal, Quebec in 1922...
depicting a trench scene at St. James United Church (Montreal) was dedicated to 32 members who were killed overseas and 267 others who served in the Great War. The side lights represent the cardinal virtues, Justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
, Prudence
Prudence
Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. It is classically considered to be a virtue, and in particular one of the four Cardinal virtues .The word comes from Old French prudence , from Latin...
, Temperence and Fortitude.
In 1927, to cover upkeep costs, the church permitted a commercial building to be built in front of its Sainte Catherine Street façade. The building, adjoining the church's structure, concealed the church for over 78 years, the church itself being announced by a large neon sign
Neon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
.
In 2005, as part of an $8-million restoration effort sponsored by the city of Montreal and the Quebec government, a portion of the commercial buildings were demolished, once again revealing the facade of the church as well as a new public square
Public Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
designed by Quebec architect Claude Cormier
Claude Cormier
Claude Cormier, CQ, born in Quebec on June 22, 1960, is a landscape architect in Canada.Cormier’s early life had a singular impact on his career path. He grew up on a farm — a natural environment to be sure, but when one is immersed in it day after day, it can also become exceedingly dull and...
. Access has also been restored to the rear lawn from Sainte Catherine Street.
External links
- Saint James United Church official site
- Religious Heritage - The story of St. James United
- Saint James, la résurrection (La Presse, August 20, 2005)