In 1899 interior decoration was contemplated and carried out from April 15th to July 1st, 1903 by Ozias Leduc (1864-1955), a Quebec artist, and his assistants. The free-hand wall and ceiling paintings were done in oil paint over a plaster finish. Over the central nave of the church, four of the most popular images of the Catholic faith are depicted: the Nativity, Christ as Good Shepherd, the Crucifixion, and the Ascension. Apostles and saints are depicted between the arches supporting the columns of the central nave. The stations of the cross, which were painted on canvas, are affixed to the furthermost right and left walls of the church.
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St. Ninian's Cathedral
St. Ninian's Cathedral
On June 29th, 1867 the corner stone of the church was laid and the foundation blessed by Very Rev. Dr. John Cameron. Sylvester O'Donoghue, a native Irishmen, built the Cathedral. Originally, the architect Owen Hamill was retained to design and oversee the construction of the Church but he died prematurely in 1868. As such, St. Ninian's was completed by architect A. Levesque of Montreal.
The Church was constructed of local limestone and sandstone from the quarries at North Grant and Brierly Brook.
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Herititage Designation:
Provincial Heritage Designation was awarded on June 24th, 2002. Saint Ninian’s Cathedral is valued for its historical association with the development of the Roman Catholic Church in Nova Scotia.
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Latitude: 45.6206 Longitude: -61.9935
Documents
Title | Author | Publisher | Doc Date | Doc Comments | Doc Type | |
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St. Ninian's Cathedral | Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Antigonish (Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish) | Unknown | ??-??-2008 | Comprehensive history of the Cathedral. | Web Link | |
The Nova Scotia Historic Places Initiative | Province of Nova Scotia | ??-??-2007 | Magazine | |||
Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish | ??-??-2008 | Information pamphlet provided by the church. | Info50.pdf | Document | ||
Additional Photographic Documentation | Leeann Roy | Leeann Roy | ??-??-2008 | Start menu - Pictures - Painted Rooms, St. Ninian's Cathedral, NS. This folder contains original and resized photographs of St. Ninian's Cathedral. All the photos have also been copied to a CD entitled Painted Rooms 2008 - Photo Documentation CD 4. The CD should remain in the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia office. | ||
Interior Decorative Painting in Nova Scotia | Cora Greenway | Art Gallery of Nova Scotia | ??-??-1986 | The Cathedral is listed as #37 in the catalogue. | Book | |
Architects of Nova Scotia | Maud Rosinski | Nova Scotia Department of Municipal Affairs - Heritage Section | ??-??-1994 | Book |