Basilique-Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-Quebec

Basilique-Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-Quebec is located in the heart of old town Quebec City. It has served since the earliest days of New France. It sits over the spot where Samuel de Champlain built a chapel in 1633. Other churches were built in the spot. The church was declared a basilica by Pope Pius IX in 1874. When we visited, it had construction almost blocking access.

Baslique-Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-Quebec

The interior is quite beautiful.

Nave

Sanctuary

Main altar

As a cathedral, it does have the bishop's chair or cathedra from which the building gets its name.

Bishop's seat

One side chapel has the odd combination of gift shop and pieta just behind it.

No staff at the gift shop

A remarkable pieta

Madonna and child in another section of the church

The stained glass is gorgeous and evocative. I especially liked this one depicting Christ turning water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana.

Wedding at Cana

Holy Family altar

Another side altar

I found this Eastern-style icon interesting since the text is is French!

The Holy Family of Nazareth

The tomb of Francois de Laval is in the church, along with a small exhibit covering his history. He was the first bishop of Quebec from 1674 to 1688. His health became too poor to serve as bishop but he still worked in the diocese until his death in 1708. He was buried in the church. 

His original casket

Life-size figure

Another statue of de Laval

His new tomb

Yet another statue

The stations of the cross are noteworthy since they are paintings along the aisles of the cathedral.

Station XI--Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

For the 350th anniversary of the church, a Holy Door was added. Holy Doors are special doors that are only opened for Jubilee Years, typically every 25 years or for special occasions (the last occasion was the Year of Mercy from December 8, 2015, to November 20, 2016). Pilgrims receive special graces for going through the door, though visitors can touch the door when it isn't all snowy outside.

Holy Door, hard to reach

The nearby seminary (founded by Francois de Laval) has a nice mosaic of the "I will make you fishers of men" scene.

Fun mosaic