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 The Madonna - Saint John, NB Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 45° 16.691 W 066° 03.375
19T E 730886 N 5018069
Large, impressive and built entirely of stone, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is well worthy of the designation of "Cathedral".
Waymark Code: WMQNZH
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Date Posted: 03/10/2016
Views: 1
Designed by Saint John architect Matthew Stead (1808-1880), the cathedral was built for the large Irish Catholic population of Saint John, which by 1847 was over 30,000, accounting for half of the city's population. Foundation work began in 1853, dedication in 1855 and three decades later, in 1885, the completed Cathedral was consecrated "with great fanfare". The Diocese of Saint John itself was established on September 30, 1842, by Pope Gregory XVI.
On the front of the cathedral's corner bell tower is a niche, within which is a white marble statue of the Madonna. A plaque, which is quite high and difficult to read, indicates that the sculptor was one William E. Kelly. There may be a date on the plaque, as well, but we cannot read it. Within the cathedral is another white marble statue of The Madonna, standing atop an intricately carved octagonal matching marble plinth. This statue is unsigned.
As of 2016 the cathedral is undergoing a much needed $10 million restoration inside and out, with every facet of the building receiving attention, from the roof to the doors to the stained glass to the organ, statuary and interior woodwork.
There are some relatively large numbers associated with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception:
• 400 men volunteered to dig the foundation;
• 221 stone cutters crafted the stone work;
• 3,000 arrived to celebrate the first Christmas Mass and dedication in 1855;
• the Cathedral’s spire, not completed until 1871, reaches 300 feet above sea level
(When we visited, the spire was nearly lost in the low hanging clouds)..
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Her name was Mary, a form of the name Miriam, the famous sister of Moses. The name was common among Jewish women in those days.
A well-known tradition says she was born in Jerusalem, the daughter of Joachim and Ann. Other early sources say Mary was born in Nazareth. There is even an ancient record that points to Sepphoris, a town a few miles from Nazareth, as her birthplace.
Wherever she was born, Mary's life most likely unfolded in the staunch Jewish settlement of Nazareth in the hills of Galilee, not far from the important caravan routes linking Egypt and Mesopotamia.
From cptryon.org
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Associated Religion(s): Roman Catholic
Statue Location: In front elevation and inside the cathedral
Entrance Fee: 0
Artist: William E. Kelly
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the statue. A waymarker and/or GPSr is not required to be in the image but it doesn't hurt.
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