Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Québec, Cradle of the Catholic Church in Canada

 

The Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral is of heritage interest for its historical value. The building, whose origins date back to 1647, is the cradle of the Catholic Church in Canada. As the centre of apostolic worship in Québec, the church served the first canonically established parish (1664) in New France, before becoming the first cathedral of the vast Diocese of Québec, created under the authority of François de Laval (1623-1708) in 1674. The Basilica-Cathedral, which today houses the tombs of most of Québec’s bishops as well as those of four governors of New France, is one of the main symbols of the Catholic Church in Québec and Canada.

 

On the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the Notre-Dame de Québec parish in 2014, Rome authorized the parish to build a Holy Door in the basilica.