Church Our-Lady-of-Grace
See also: Our-Lady-of-Grace, Montreal (homonymy)
Located with Montreal, in the district montréalais of Coast-of-Snow-Our-Lady-of-Grace, the parish Our-Lady-of-Grace is the second church of Montreal. It is located on the side of the western slope of Mount-Royal, with a stone jet of the Décarie highway.
History of the parish
At the beginning of the XIXe century, the parishioners of Montreal established on the Saint-Luc coast, the coast of Snows and the coast Saint-Anthony (most of Westmount) found that the Notre-Dame church was extremely distant to receive their services. In these farming communities, one built vaults. The residents of the slope Saint-Pierre (district corresponding to current our-Lady-of-Grace, plus part of the Saint-Henri district) also suffered from this same distance. They had more success near the religious authorities. They obtained these Sirs de Saint-Sulpice who them service road is beautiful and vast church. It would be called Our-Lady-of-all-Graces, name which was shortened in 1867.
These persuasive pioneers of the parish came, for the majority, of descendants of the companions of Maisonneuve, whose names punctuate the history and the geography of Quebec and Montreal in particular. One recognizes there, inter alia, Décarie, Hurtubise, Gougeon, Leduc, Prud'homme, Parent, Trudeau, Lemieux, Beaudry, Goyer, Cardinal, Paré, Saint-Denis and Pinsonneault. It should be noted that the grounds of these families were recognized for their great agricultural value. One cultivated there, for example, of extraordinary melons (of almost 20 books) sought by the large hotels of New York. The ground of 30 arpents, bought by Sulpiciens with Eustace Industrial tribunal for the construction of the church on October 31st, 1849, cost 1500 louis or 6000 $, an extremely important sum at that time.
The construction of the church began in 1851 and it was inaugurated on September 18th, 1853 by Mgr Pierre Rapper, bishop sulpician of Cleveland. As it was then the habit, the parishioners were buried in the basement of the church. Thus, the first mayor of Montreal, the honourable Jacques Viger rests there. However, the church remained only one local service road until the dismemberment of the immense canonical parish by Monseigneur Le Bourget. Initially secular, the parish was entrusted to Dominican of 1901 to 1999. During years, Our-Lady-of-Grace, which covered vast a terrtoire, had to serve a population in full expansion. Not less than 9 parishes were set up following dismemberments of the parish is: Saint-Henri, Our-Lady-of-Snows, Saint-Leon, Saint-Pierre-with-Bonds, Holy-Clotilde, Saint-Augustin, Saint-Antonin, Saint-Raymond and Holy-Catherine-of-His.
Structure of the building
It is on plans of John Ostell that the church Our-Lady-of-Grace was built. This architect originating in London and which had married Québécois also made the plans, inter alia, of the towers of the Notre-Dame basilica and the roof of the Great Seminar of Montreal. The choice of the style Jesuit of the 18th century is astonishing, because it is known that John Ostell was rather fond of delicacies Gothic style. The frontage, which resembles that of the first Notre-Dame church, comprises two stages with Tuscan pillars of order to the first and pillars of Ionic order to the second. Above the two side doors are laid out of the stained glasses of Guido Nincheri.
Above the central door a niche is sheltering a remarkable statue of the Virgin whom one owes in Emile Brunet and who was installed at the time of the centenary of the parish in 1953.
In 1927, during major restorations, an imposing bell-tower with a chime of five bells was added, as well as a vault dedicated to Saint-Victor, a baptistry, a library and the other dirty ones. These additions on the line of the building, carried out under the control of work of very respected Commercial Omer architect, increase the impression of strability further.
Interior decoration
Even if one has little information on the interior decoration of origin, one knows that it was of good taste, according to a chronicler of the time. From this period, there remain only some sculptures allotted to Lauréat Vallière and the Casavant organ. The last transformation which dates from the years millet nine hundred and sixty, when the research of the simplicity of the places of worship was in vogue, was done alas with the detriment of the inheritance.
Fortunately, there remain marvellous jewels of the restorations which took place in 1927, at the time of the addition of the Saint-Victor vault and the bell-tower, earlier mentioned. The renovation project interior then adopted is that of the very famous glass Master Guido Nincheri. This artist trained at the school of Florence is, at that time, very asks some and the archbishop's palace frequently called upon him for the decoration of the many places of worship of Montreal. He proposes 15 stained glasses (for the 15 mysteries of the rosary), plus two stained glasses representing of the angels placed on each side of the organ. The artist was and is always recognized for the lyric naturalism which develops symbolism.
The stained glasses of the angels hold the attention thus. The position of the head, the way in which the hair is treated, the oval of the face and the smoothness of the features are not without pointing out the female beauty such as conceived it the Florentin painter of the Botticelli rebirth.
Nincheri carried out also three of the stained glasses representing the mysteries of the rosary which are in the apse, that is to say: Annunciation, Crowning, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
It is with French artist G.E. Pellus which one owes the twelve stained glasses located around the nave, like two others located in the vault Saint-Victor (called today Saint-Dominique). Those are of invoice more preserving, and in conformity with the religious imagery of the beginning of the 20th century.
Casavant organ, opus 630/2544, 1915/1959
There was probably a first organ since 1853. This one was replaced 1898 by a new organ of old invoice and with manual blower which cost 2.500 $.
The current instrument was installed in 1915 by the Casavant firm. Some elements of the organ of 1898 were preserved, of which the “Violoncello” out of wooden of the pedal. The organ was reconditioned and improved in 1959.
The holders of the organ were since 1922:
- Paul Doyon (1922 to 1986)
- Jean-François Gauthier (1986 to 2004)
- Denis Gained (2004 to 2006)
- Matthieu Latreille (2006 with today)
Here the estimate of this instrument with three manual keyboards and pedals:
Pedal: Acoustic flute 32'; Open flute 16'/Flute 8'; Violin 16'/Violoncello 8'; Bumblebee 16'/Bumblebee 8'/Bumblebee 4'; Soft bumblebee 16'; Bombard 16'/Trompette 8'/Clairon 4'.
expressive Account: Bumblebee 16'; Bumblebee 8'; The main thing 8'; Clarabelle 8'; Viola da gamba 8'; Celestial voice 8'; Flute 4'; Violin 4'; Octavin 2'; Horn III; Trumpet 8'; Oboe 8'; Human voice 8'; Tremor; Account 16'; Dumb account; Account 4.
Large organ: Show 16'; Show I 8'; Show II 8'; Large gamba 8'; Salicional 8'; Flute doubles 8'; Prestant 4'; Harmonic flute 4'; Doublette 2'; Mixture III; Trumpet 8'; Bugle 4'; Large organ 16'; Large dumb organ; Large organ 4'.
Positive expressive: Melody 8'; The main thing 8'; Dulciane 8'; Soft flute 4'; Rohr nazard 2 2/3'; Flageolet 2'; Clarinet 8'; Tremor; Positive 4'; Positive Dumb man; Positive 16'.
Couplings in dominos: G8/the developing countries. ; R8/the developing countries. ; P8/the developing countries. ; G4/the developing countries. ; R4/the developing countries. ; P4/the developing countries. ; R16/G; R8/G; R4/G; P16/G; P8/G; P4/G; G16/P; G8/P; G4/P; R16/P; R8/P; R4/P.
Five adjustable pistons of combination by keyboard; Five adjustable generals; Pedal crescendo; Tutti; Recall; Ambitus of the manual keyboards: do1 with do6; Ambitus of the pedals: do1 with sol3.
The priest of the parish
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Claude Julien, Wire of charity.
Parochial life
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the Sunday Eucharistie is celebrated saturdays with 17:00 and Sunday with 11:00
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the Eucharistie is also celebrated Monday to Wednesday with 16:30.
Historical events
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Recital of the organist Marcel Dupre
- on March 20th, 1960: Recital of Andre Marchal, organist of Saint-Eustace of Paris
References
Text written by the committee of arts of the parish.
See too
Internal bonds
- List of the catholic establishments of Quebec
External bonds
- Inventory of the places of worship of Quebec
- Music and musicians
- history of the district