Hey this is Julia Wallace! And of course I can’t help but say, “HI MOM!!!!!” and everyone else. The trip has been amazing so far. Today we went to the Basilique Notre-Dame. This Gothic style cathedral was built in the eighteen hundreds and is amazing! The church is made of stone and reminded me of Gothic cathedrals that we studied in history class. We walked into the sanctuary and my mouth dropped. The room is decorated in beautiful wood work and Byzantine inspired designs. Along the edges, there were paintings, confessionals and hundreds of candles. The pews were everywhere, even on two balconies above the main floor. I heard a tour guide say that this cathedral can seat 3000 to 3200 people. I can’t imagine that building when it is full. Above the front entrance was the organ. The front was beautifully designed but didn’t even begin to show how many pipes were hidden behind the wall. Their organ has 7000 pipes! Even John Beed was amazed. But the most breath taking aspect of the main sanctuary was the altar. The large circular altar is decorated with statues, wood work and dramatic lighting. The statues on the left and right are St. Peter and St. Paul and the four apostles. In the center is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and above that the coronation of Mary. On the right side of these statues are the bloody sacrifices from the old testament and on the left, the non bloody sacrifices of the new testament. It was amazing while we were singing towards the very end, a woman came up to Mrs. Panosh and asked her something, then left and came back with a ceramic hippo. Mrs. P told us that this woman’s friend had just passed away from breast cancer and that she had wanted to come back to Montreal before she died but hadn’t made it. Eight of her friends had brought her ashes to Montreal and she placed the hippo [in which her ashes were kept] in front of us on the floor and Lindsay Heckes suggested that we sing Amazing Grace. The woman’s friends cried and it was a very powerful moment. They said later that they could feel their friends’ presence. After singing we also visited a beautiful chapel located behind the sanctuary. My thoughts were, well if one sanctuary wasn’t enough… The experience was great and I hope to go back again. Enjoy the pictures!!!
- Julia Wallace
Note from Graham:
There are many more pictures in the latest facebook photo album Ministry Tour 2010 – Part 4.
Unbelievable pictures…so moving! So proud of all of you.
I do have to ask though, is that Dan's picture from the Youth Auction in Old Montreal, or is that the real Johnny Depp aka Jack Sparrow?? LOL!
Thank you Debbie. It was a very cool experience!
Truly a moving story about the "hippo". What an inspiration you guys are to suggest the hippo placement and the song. That's called ministry.
Julia, your description of the Basilique is wonderful. The pictures are great, but your description incorporates background knowledge. I guess the next time someone at school says "why do we have to study this old stuff?" You will have a clear response!
Great stuff y'all. Its fun to watch your progress!
Mr. P
It was a very neat random little God moment for sure Jim!
Thank you so much Juiia for a wonderful description of what you saw and did there. It helped me to feel a part of it. You all amaze me!
Mrs. Michael
Julia really listened during our guided tour! I did too… but she retained a lot more knowledge than I did.
I LOVE the blog! Makes my day… thanks for sharing. I almost feel like I'm on the bus except for the fact I'm doing laundry! Enjoy your last few days of life out of the ordinary and soak up the beautiful North East.
Cam's mom
Oh we're soaking it up all right… and so are Cam's jeans that he wore in the lake today! (I guess that means more laundry huh?)
Graham…The pictures are wonderful! I know how hard it is to capture the beauty and the majesty in a place like this. (It was the same thing with The Vatican). But you have managed somehow to do it…and the blog that Julia did helps bring it even more to life. What an awesome experience.
Thank you so much! Happy to do it.
just got the shivers reading about the Hippo…what a great story…and how wonderful for the friends who were there….you are making such a difference. I'm so proud of all of you!
Thank you Carol!
God really does provide… for those eight friends and for all of you. God Bless You all…
Graham's mom
Thanks Mom