All Saints Cathedral (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Explained

Cathedral Church of All Saints
Coordinates:44.6404°N -63.5797°W
Location:1330 Cathedral Lane,
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Country:Canada
Denomination:Anglican Church of Canada
Membership:300 families
Website:cathedralchurchofallsaints.com
Architect:Ralph Adams Cram
Style:Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking:1907
Completed Date:1910
Length:255 feet
Width:86 feet
Width Nave:58 feet
Height:68 feet
Diocese:Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
Province:Canada
Bishop:The Rt. Rev. Sandra Fyfe
Dean:Paul Smith
Organist:Paul Halley
Musicgroup:Cathedral Church of All Saints Choir
Logosize:100px

The Cathedral Church of All Saints, also known as All Saints Cathedral, is a cathedral church of the Anglican Church of Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

It is the cathedral for the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. There is an additional cathedral, St. Peter's, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, owing to the diocese unusually containing two civil provinces.

All Saints Cathedral is located on Cathedral Lane (formerly Martello Street) in the South End of the Halifax Peninsula. Built to a neo-gothic design by Ralph Adams Cram of Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson (of Boston and New York), the stone structure, minus the central tower which had been the design's most striking feature, was opened in 1910. The building is 255feet long; the nave is 68feet high, and the chancel is 26feet wide.[1]

History

First World War Memorial Window

Stained glass in the Cathedral commemorates the men and women of the Diocese who died in World War I.[2]

Philip Bent VC

The sword of Philip Bent, who was killed in 1917, and is the only person born in Halifax to be awarded a Victoria Cross, is displayed in the cathedral.

Design

Pipe organ

The Cathedral Organ was built originally in 1910 by Casavant of St Hyacinthe, Québec, and rebuilt by the British firm of Hill, Norman and Beard in 1961. In 2011, the original console was upgraded by Casavant and now includes 250 memories for its pistons, is MIDI capable, and can record performances to play later. Another advantage of the new console is that it is moveable so it can rest in its original intended location during services but be optimally re-positioned as required during choral concerts and organ recitals and performances. Also, during this recent upgrade the console was prepared with some additional stops as well as an antiphonal section for eventual installation in the Cathedral Narthex. Consisting of four manuals and seventy-five stops, the organ is the largest east of Montreal and serves admirably for service-playing and is also an impressive recital instrument. The organ has been played by many international performers.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Cathedral of "All Saints," Halifax, N.S.. The Canadian Architect & Builder. January 1908. 22. 1. 11–14. 2015-02-23.
  2. Anglican Diocesan Centre Corporation (Re), 2009 NSUARB 154 (CanLII), para. 13: http://canlii.ca/t/262j4