La Cathédrale Saint-Michel

Last week, we had the privilege of having a field trip day. As a class, we toured Saint Michael's Basilica and Cathedral. The cathedral is home to the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sherbrooke. The Pope Pius IX created the diocese of Sherbrooke in the late 1800s making St. Michael's a cathedral. The building was completed in 1957 and in 1959 the cathedral was given the distinction of being named a basilica.

The church is filled with over 105 stained-glass windows, each crafted by master Parisian artist Raphaël Lardeur.

The building is filled with a variety of artwork, including paintings, sculptures, and mosaics.

The cathedral is laid out in the shape of a Latin cross, with the points to the east where Christ was born.

There is an organ located in the lost that has more than 2,000 pipes and 35 stops.

There is a crypt below the basement that was once the original chapel. The crypt is currently in use and you can purchase your spot for a mere 3,000$ (CAD), which is actually quite costly for a burial spot in Canada (this information is what we deciphered from our admittedly limited knowledge of French funeral vocabulary heard in a very echoey location).

We spent the day in awe of the beauty of this landmark. But I think the kids were not as impressed with their surroundings.