History of Basilique Notre Dame de Montréal

The history of Basilique Notre Dame de Montréal begins in 1657 with the arrival of the Sulpicians in Ville-Marie, with Gabriel Queylus as superior and Gabriel Souart as cure-missionary. From 1672 to 1683, the first Church of Our Lady was built on the axis of Notre Dame under François Dollier Casson, superior of the seminary. On October 30, 1687, Mgr. Laval, Bishop of Quebec, erected Our Lady as a canonical parish under the surname of Saint-Nom-de-Marie, with Gilles Perot as priest. From 1823 to 1829, the current church was constructed by architect James O'Donnell and was consecrated in 1829 by Auguste Roux, superior of the Seminary. From 1888 to 1891, the Sacred Heart Chapel was built by architects Perrault and Mensnard, with Alfred-L. Sentenne as pastor. On May 16, 1929, the church was dedicated by Mgr. Georges Gauthier, coadjutor archbishop of Montreal, with Olivier Maurault as pastor. On February 15, 1982, Pope John Paul II elevated Notre Dame Church to a minor basilica. On September 11, 1984, Pope John Paul II visited Our Lady, during the archbishopric of Paul Gregory, with Emilius Goulet as provincial superior and Fernand Lecavalier as pastor.

Quebec · Canada