St. Mary's Church (Toronto)
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 130 Bathurst Street at Portugal Square in the Niagara neighbourhood of Toronto's
west end. The parish was established by Irish
immigrants in 1852. The Gothic Revival
church was designed by Joseph Connolly
and completed in 1889, with the tower finished in 1905. It stands as the picturesque western view terminus
for Adelaide Street.
The rectory, convent and a school are also located along Portugal Square.
, Clarence Square
, and West Market Square. The cornerstone was laid on 15 August 1881 and the dedication took place on 17 February 1889, but the spire was not completed until 1905. Architect Joseph Connolly designed a building that was contemporary yet evoked Irish Roman Catholic church building traditions, which was important to the Irish priest and his predominantly Irish congregation at the time.
St. Mary Catholic School was founded with the parish in 1852 and was originally operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph
and the Christian Brothers
. When the school outgrew the original structure on Adelaide Street, a new building was erected in 1918 facing McDonnell Square. This building was expanded in 1972. Currently, it is administrated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board
, teaching Kindergarten through grade eight students.
Over time, large numbers of Poles and Ukrainians began to settle in the neighborhood around St. Mary's. By 1960, there was a large Portuguese population and McDonnell Square was renamed Portugal Square, with a part of Adelaide Street surrounding the block renamed Portugal Square to reflect the change.
Some music has been recorded in the church such as jazz, pop, and classical. Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler
used St. Mary's to record his record Ensemble Fusionaire for CBC in 1976 with four other fellow Canadian musicians.
composed a three-aiselled basilica plan for the brick Gothic Revival
design of St. Mary's Church, with a polygonal apsidal sanctuary, transepts slightly lower than the nave, and a morning chapel to the liturgical north or geographic south. The tower is positioned in the centre of the main facade facing Bathurst Street. Side portals and windows are enclosed within a large arch.
The main facade features a central section at the base of the tower with a rose window
framed by a moulded pointed arch on columns and capitals, with recessed roundels located around the window. Smaller and lower versions of this design symmetrically frame the middle section on both sides. Beneath the central rose window is a blind arcade, and the main doorway below is topped with a gable with two roundels on either side. The brick- and copper-clad spire is characterized by corner niches, with gables rising above belfry openings between the angle turrets. The church's architecture aligns symmetrically with Adelaide Street with the tower facing the centre of the street, thus serving as a picturesque view terminus. Connolly's Church of Our Lady Immaculate
in Guelph, Ontario
stands similarly at the head of that city's Macdonell Street.
Arches to the transepts are carried on piers inside, and acanthus
capitals crown the stone columns of the main arcades. The vaulted apse has a series of small stained-glass windows and paintings. The altar is wide, and the church has a small reredos
with statues of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
west end. The parish was established by Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrants in 1852. The Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
church was designed by Joseph Connolly
Joseph Connolly (architect)
Joseph Connolly was an Irish Canadian architect, born in Limerick, Ireland. He trained as an architect under J.J. McCarthy in his native Ireland before coming to North America. Connolly specialized in Gothic Revival design...
and completed in 1889, with the tower finished in 1905. It stands as the picturesque western view terminus
Terminating vista
In urban design, a terminating vista is a building or monument that stands at the end or in the middle of a road, so that when one is looking up the street the view ends with the site....
for Adelaide Street.
The rectory, convent and a school are also located along Portugal Square.
History
St. Mary's Church was built at McDonnell Square (now Portugal Square), which was one of several squares laid out in Toronto's 1834 'New Town Extension' plan such as Victoria SquareVictoria Memorial Square
Victoria Memorial Square is a park and former cemetery in Toronto, Canada. Established in 1763 as the burial place for those affiliated with the nearby Fort York, it was the first cemetery to be used by European settlers in what would become the city of Toronto...
, Clarence Square
Clarence Square
Clarence Square is a small park in downtown Toronto where Wellington Street West meets Spadina Avenue. In the northwest corner of the park is a historical plaque honouring Alexander Dunn, born near the park, who was the first Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross...
, and West Market Square. The cornerstone was laid on 15 August 1881 and the dedication took place on 17 February 1889, but the spire was not completed until 1905. Architect Joseph Connolly designed a building that was contemporary yet evoked Irish Roman Catholic church building traditions, which was important to the Irish priest and his predominantly Irish congregation at the time.
St. Mary Catholic School was founded with the parish in 1852 and was originally operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
and the Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
. When the school outgrew the original structure on Adelaide Street, a new building was erected in 1918 facing McDonnell Square. This building was expanded in 1972. Currently, it is administrated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board
Toronto Catholic District School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is the publicly-funded Catholic school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada, headquartered in North York. It is one of the two English boards of education in the City of Toronto, serving the former municipalities of Scarborough, North York, York, East York,...
, teaching Kindergarten through grade eight students.
Over time, large numbers of Poles and Ukrainians began to settle in the neighborhood around St. Mary's. By 1960, there was a large Portuguese population and McDonnell Square was renamed Portugal Square, with a part of Adelaide Street surrounding the block renamed Portugal Square to reflect the change.
Some music has been recorded in the church such as jazz, pop, and classical. Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler
Kenny Wheeler
Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. since the 1950s....
used St. Mary's to record his record Ensemble Fusionaire for CBC in 1976 with four other fellow Canadian musicians.
Architecture
Joseph ConnollyJoseph Connolly (architect)
Joseph Connolly was an Irish Canadian architect, born in Limerick, Ireland. He trained as an architect under J.J. McCarthy in his native Ireland before coming to North America. Connolly specialized in Gothic Revival design...
composed a three-aiselled basilica plan for the brick Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
design of St. Mary's Church, with a polygonal apsidal sanctuary, transepts slightly lower than the nave, and a morning chapel to the liturgical north or geographic south. The tower is positioned in the centre of the main facade facing Bathurst Street. Side portals and windows are enclosed within a large arch.
The main facade features a central section at the base of the tower with a rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
framed by a moulded pointed arch on columns and capitals, with recessed roundels located around the window. Smaller and lower versions of this design symmetrically frame the middle section on both sides. Beneath the central rose window is a blind arcade, and the main doorway below is topped with a gable with two roundels on either side. The brick- and copper-clad spire is characterized by corner niches, with gables rising above belfry openings between the angle turrets. The church's architecture aligns symmetrically with Adelaide Street with the tower facing the centre of the street, thus serving as a picturesque view terminus. Connolly's Church of Our Lady Immaculate
Church of Our Lady Immaculate, Guelph
Church of Our Lady Immaculate is a Roman Catholic church located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada designed by Joseph Connolly. It is considered Connolly's best work. To serve a Roman Catholic parish of predominantly German settlers this Gothic style-church was built between 1875 and 1883...
in Guelph, Ontario
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
stands similarly at the head of that city's Macdonell Street.
Arches to the transepts are carried on piers inside, and acanthus
Acanthus (ornament)
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
capitals crown the stone columns of the main arcades. The vaulted apse has a series of small stained-glass windows and paintings. The altar is wide, and the church has a small reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
with statues of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary.