“Did you know that St. Paul’s Basilica, standing proudly before you, is not just a church but the mother church of the Archdiocese of Toronto?” St. Paul’s was established in 1822. It holds a unique place in Toronto’s history. The story of St. Paul’s begins with a humble red brick church completed in 1824. It served the growing Catholic community in the Town of York.
In 1841 the Diocese of Toronto was created. Bishop Michael Power used St. Paul’s as his pro-cathedral until St. Michael’s Cathedral was finished in 1848. Tragedy struck in 1847. A typhus epidemic swept through the city. It claimed over 800 lives including Bishop Power himself. Many victims were buried on the grounds of St. Paul’s Church and School. Most were later moved to St. Michael’s Cemetery.
The parish grew. It served the spiritual and social needs of immigrants and the poor. Various religious orders assisted including the Loretto Sisters and the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Bishop Thomas Timothy O’Mahony took over as Pastor in 1880. He envisioned a grander structure to accommodate the expanding Catholic population. With architect Joseph Connolly, Bishop O’Mahony planned a new church. They chose an Italian Romanesque style. This was unusual for a city filled with Gothic churches. Cardinal Taschereau blessed the cornerstone in 1887. The first Mass was held just before Christmas 1889. The statue of St. Paul was placed above the centre door in 1899.
Dean John Lawrence Hand became Pastor in 1892. He enhanced the church’s beauty. He commissioned most of the artwork inside St. Paul’s. The sanctuary’s four major paintings were completed in 1893. The all-wood organ was installed in 1898. It is the only one of its kind in North America. Stained glass windows followed in 1899. The Stations of the Cross were added in 1901.
The campanile or bell tower was built in 1905. It incorporated the bell from the original church. Scenes from St. Paul’s life were painted on canvas in 1911. The angels behind the altar were created in the 1920s. A bronze Pieta on the lawn was erected in 1933. It commemorates Bishop Power and those who perished in the typhus epidemic. A plaque at the entrance lists 81 members who died in World War I. Bishop O’Mahony’s grave is beside the front steps.
Father Tom Day began restoring the church in 1998. Msgr. Brad Massman continued this work. On August 3 1999 Pope John Paul II made St. Paul’s a Minor Basilica. This honor recognizes its liturgical and pastoral importance. It also acknowledges its antiquity and beauty. As a Minor Basilica St. Paul’s can grant plenary indulgences on certain days. Its insignia include the Ombrellino and the Tintinnabulum. St. Paul’s is the twentieth church in Canada with this title.
Today St. Paul’s parish reflects Toronto’s multiculturalism. About 30 languages are spoken within its community. Take a moment to appreciate the rich history and artistic beauty of St. Paul’s Basilica a testament to faith perseverance and community.