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Our Lady of Assumption Church

In the beginning...

First religious orders arrived in Cape Breton from France in 1611

Eastern Nova Scotia belonged to the Diocese of Quebec from 1657-1829

(excepting the years 1817-1820)

Presently, we are all a part of the Diocese of Antigonish

Arichat is the oldest parish in our present day Diocese.

Introduction

Arichat, one of the first ports in Canada,

was thought to be one of the finest ports

in all of Canada in the mid 18th century.

` The name Arichat derives from the Mi’kmaq word

“Neliksaak” meaning “Split rock”. Many spellings

and pronunciations derived, since it was never

really written. Examples included: Arischat,

Narischaque, Neireichak, Narichat, Anarichak,

Anarowchack, Naurawchak, Narachaque,

Anarichaque, and Annaréchaque.

First Inhabitants Before Isle Madame was inhabited by any Europeans, in

the 17th century there were hundreds of shipwrecks in

Cape Breton. It is believed that these took place on Isle

Madame, and since many of these vessels had Jesuit

Missionaries on board, it means that Isle Madame

contains the first Christian cemetery in what is now known

as the Diocese of Antigonish.

The first populations on Isle Madame were poor

beyond belief, and most people were employed by the

firm Charles Robin and Co., who monopolized the

fishery, and kept pay very low to their workers.

The first Priest ever to live in Arichat was Father

Bailly de Messein, a native of France serving for

the Diocese of Québec, sent to Nova Scotia to

minister to the Mi’kmaq people.

In 1771 he visited Arichat on a missionary tour

from August 7th-18th, visited other areas of Cape

Breton, then stayed on Isle Madame from

September 22nd until November 4th.

In the census of 1811, the population of Arichat

was 1703 people. There were 93 people over the

age of sixty, 755 between the age of fourteen and

sixty, and 835 people under the age of fourteen. In

this year, there were 105 ships, 21 horses, 800

head of cattle, and 1301 sheep.

First Church

First chapel in Arichat built in the spring of 1786 under the direction of Father Bourg.

Father Bourg, a French

priest of Acadian descent,

was the one who gave the

orders to the inhabitants of

Arichat to build a place to

worship their faith. The

church was built to the

East of Babin’s Hill.

At this time, the population of Arichat (then

Annaréchaque) was about 140 families,

and a large number of them were French

Acadians and the rest were a large number

of Roman Catholic Irish people.

Replaced the church in 1837 with the one still

seen today, built by Father Jean Baptiste

Maranda, saying the first mass on October 15th

1837

The church seen today has also undergone

several structural changes over the years.

The original church had two independent rows of

single story plain windows. Now, the windows

extend to the second floor, and are stained glass.

In the past, the church had one single steeple,

now it has two cupolo belfries. (Alterations made

between 1900 and 1907)

The inscription on the church’s bell.

Sa Sainteté Pie X Pape – A.D. 1913

S.G. Mgr. James Morisson Évêque

Le Rev. A. E. Monbourquette Curé

Église Notre-Dame de L’Assomption

Arichat N.É. Canada

Diocese of Arichat

In 1844, Nova Scotia was split from one

diocese to two. Arichat was chosen to

become the seat of a new diocese that

incorporated most of eastern Nova

Scotia, because it was the most centrally

located town in a time when the main

method of transportation was by sea.

The church officially became a Cathedral in

that year and Maranda was its first rector.

Diocese of Arichat

There were three Bishops during the time from 1844-1886 when our present day diocese of Antigonish was known as the Diocese of Arichat:

Right Rev. William Fraser, D.D. (1844-1851)

Right Rev. Colin Francis MacKinnon, D.D. (1852-1877)

Right Rev. John Cameron, D.D. (1877-1886)

Bishop Cameron moved the seat of the diocese to Antigonish in 1886.

The three Bishops of Arichat.

Items in the church

- Pipe Organ

- Paintings

- Statues

- Stained glass windows

Pipe Organ

Brought in by Bishop C.F Mackinnon, our

second bishop in 1858.

Purchased from the Berger company in

Philadelphia.

Only three of its kind ever made.

Used for special masses (weddings; Christmas

mass)

Several concerts have been held to raise funds

to maintain the organ.

Converted to electrical bellows in 1956.

Pipe Organ

Man playing Violin at benefit concert for

the Organ.

Paintings

Over 20 paintings can be found in the church

Some are very valuable;

Famous artists

Dome paintings, and the other paintings on the

walls were painted in 1954 when the church was

redecorated by a Montreal firm.

One of the dome

paintings on the

ceiling of the

church.

Painting Over the Altar

Another one of Bishop MacKinnon’s purchases.

Brought from Rome at about the same time the pipe organ was purchased.

Painted by the Italian artist Appollonio. (not an original)

Brought to Arichat by Capt. Dominique Gerroir.

Frame is lined with gold leaf trim, and was donated by Anne Hubert, heir of Arichat’swealthiest family at the time.

Statues Almost all purchased by the second Bishop of the

Diocese of Arichat, Right Rev. Colin Francis

MacKinnon.

Stained Windows

Installed in 1960

Gave the chapel a cathedral-like appearance