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- St. Bridget's Roman Catholic Church situated on the corner of St. Patrick and Cumberland streets in Lowertown was opened
to the public by an inaugural mass Sunday, August 3, 1890.
- Planning had begun in 1888 when a committee of English-speaking parishioners of Notre Dame Cathedral met with Archbishop
Duhamel to establish a separate parish for the English of Lowertown.
- The selected architect was James R. Bowes; the contractor for the construction was Mr. J.J. Lyons.
- Situated in the most historic section of Ottawa, St. Brigid's parish served a community of trades people, lumbermen, and
other labourers, involved with the building of Lowertown and the Rideau Canal.
| St. Brigid's Altar |
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| Click image to enlarge |
- Architectural features include a massive limestone exterior, Romanesque portals, cast iron, and two bulb steeples of different
heights showing a Russian-Byzantine influence.
- The interior has outstanding Tudor fan vaults with pendants, similar to those found in the Rideau Chapel, now in the National
Gallery of Canada.
- Stained glass windows were supplied in 1890 by Messrs. Castle of Montreal.
- Over the main altar is a window representing St. Bridget praying.
- Over the organ is a four-light window containing representations of St. Patrick, Ste. Anne, the Virgin, and St. Joseph.
| Side Window |
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| Click image to enlarge |
The windows running down the nave, a mixture of grisaille and stained glass, represent symbols of Salvation and of the
Passion of Christ: eg. the Lamb, the Nails of the Crucifixion, the Cross, the Sacred Heart, the Chalice, the Crown, Palm leaves,
the Fountain, the Anchor, etc.
The stained glass light over the main door, showing signs of deterioration in the masonry, represents the monogram for
the name of Christ: I.H.S.: in Latin , Iesus Hominum Salvator ( Jesus, Saviour of Mankind).
Superb example of a 1910 pneumatic action Casavant Organ with a French style ‘tirages en escalier’ console
comprised of three manuals, 30 note pedal board, 23 stops and 22 ranks.
| Columns and Pillars |
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| Click image to enlarge |
- The interior was decorated in 1908 by Toussaint-Xenophon Renaud, of Montreal, and featured many beautiful murals, stencils,
gilding and faux stonework. The walls and vault were a pleasing blend of light blues, ivory and grey The richly painted white
and gold altars suggest the facade of a church. The columns were painted to look like marble and decorated with gold on the
cast iron capitals.
- Unfortunately all the rich décor was painted over in the 1960's.
- In 1981 the exterior building was designated a Heritage property by the City of Ottawa. The interior was designated in
1989.
- In 1989 the church interior was designated " provincially significant" by the Ontario Heritage Foundation.
- Three murals were uncovered by conservator Stanislaw Dusko in 1989: The Nativity, The Descent from the Cross, and the
Shrouded Cross.
- Two other murals are showing through on the trancept walls facing the side aisles.
- The painted canvas facings on the triforium levels are showing signs of deterioration and dessication.
- On February 1, 2003, St. Brigid's Day, a campaign started to raise work donations for the Restoration of St.
Brigid's Church.
- The Restoration Campaign objective is set for $700,000 for the 1st phase for exterior work, and the
initial interior restoration and a total of $3.5 million dollars for the total project.
- Contributions for pledges and funds will be gratefully accepted at St. Brigids Parish 179 Murray St. Ottawa K1N 5M7.
Pictures courtesy of Ms. Elizabeth Krug
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