About the Author When she was quite young, Siham Jamaa discovered a keen interest in the history of religions and in spirituality. After studying for her MBA in International Tourism at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), she found herself drawn to researching the phenomenon of pilgrimage and today s resurgence of spiritual and religious journeys. She is proud to help visitors understand holy places and their transformative impact. She is also the author of the Guide to Spiritual and Religious Journeys in Québec, published by Ulysses Travel Guides in 2016.
Contents About the Author 2 Church House of Prayer for All Nations 4 Bethel Gospel Chapel 5 Église Saint-Léon de Westmount 7 Church of the Ascension of Our Lord 9 Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue 10 St. Matthias Anglican Church 11 Former Stanley Presbyterian Church (Westmount Seventh-day Adventist Church) 13 Église Notre-Dame-de-Grâce 15 Index 18
Westmount and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce: the Anglophone Heritage This tour starts in Westmount, a wealthy city enclaved within the city of Montréal, and ends in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, a residential district of Montréal that most people simply call NDG. The rich and varied religious heritage of this mainly Anglophone area of the Island Duration: 2hrs 30min Walking tour (3km) of Montréal reflects the wide cultural diversity of its residents. Accordingly, on this tour, you ll get to know the Apostolic, Baptist, Catholic (Anglophone and Francophone), Jewish and Anglican communities here. DDThe tour begins at the Church House of Prayer for All Nations, at the corner of Boulevard De Maisonneuve Ouest and Avenue Wood. Church House of Prayer for All Nations Designed by architects Alfred Arthur Cox and Louis-Auguste Amos, this church was built in 1892. Previously known as the Church of the Advent, it served an Anglican congregation from 1892 to 2005, when it was transferred to an Apostolic community. Designed in the very modest Gothic Revival model promoted by the Anglican ecclesiastical movement for churches in developing suburbs and small, rural parishes, the building s asymmetry gives it a unique character. Clad for the most part in red brick, the foundations of the facade are faced in rough stone. The structure of the bell tower is relatively light. Once inside, lift your gaze to the ceiling to admire the remarkable vaulting, in which the woodwork covers the entire nave as far as the projecting choir. Take some time too to appreciate how cleverly the architects have used wood throughout the building to emphasize and harmonize the ornamentation in this place of worship.
5 Church House of Prayer for All Nations. Philippe Renault The stained-glass windows in the church were designed and made by C.W. Kelsey, and the organ was built by the Casavant Brothers (Opus 1735) in 1943. The church s presbytery, built in 1924, now serves as a refugee centre. DDNow go to the Bethel Gospel Chapel by heading west on Boulevard De Maisonneuve as far as Avenue Olivier. On your way there, you ll cross Avenue Greene, a typically English-Canadian street with an art gallery, antique shops and exclusive stores. Bethel Gospel Chapel This church was originally built in 1893 by Baptists, who named it Grace Baptist Church. It next served a Seventh-day Adventist congregation before being acquired by the Evangelical Baptist community of Bethel Gospel Chapel in 1972. Tucked into the heart of a residential area, it is notable for its simple architecture with few religious symbols on the exterior. You ll see that the building is slightly set back from the street line and that the red brick facade is generously supplied with windows, set in rectangular and arched openings. There is no bell tower as such, but a square tower rises to the left of the facade, topped by a pyramid roof. The interior is designed in a style known as the Akron Plan, popular with Presby-
Index B Bethel Gospel Chapel 5 C Church House of Prayer for All Nations 4 Church of the Ascension of Our Lord 9 E Église Notre-Dame-de-Grâce 15 Église Saint-Léon de Westmount 7 F Former Stanley Presbyterian Church 13 S Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue 10 St. Matthias Anglican Church 11 W Westmount Seventh-day Adventist Church 13
Montréal's Religious Heritage: Westmount and NDG ISBN 978-2-76581-717-8 (PDF version), is a chapter taken from Ulysses guide Discovering Montréal's Religious Heritage, ISBN 978-2-89464-695-3 (printed version), published and legally deposited in May 2017. Crédits Research and Writing: Siham Jamaa Additional Writing: Pierre Daveluy Translation and Copy Editing: Elke Love, Matthew McLauchlin Additional Translation: Tanya Solari Editors: Pierre Ledoux, Claude Morneau Graphic Design Layout: Pascal Biet This work was produced under the direction of Olivier Gougeon and Claude Morneau. Acknowledgments I would particularly like to thank the religious communities who once again welcomed me so generously, and opened the doors of their sanctuaries to me. I would also like to thank the team members on the Québec Religious Heritage Council for accompanying me so considerately during my research phase. And finally, thanks go to my publisher, Ulysses Travel Guides, for putting its trust in me once more, and for the enthusiasm and creativity of its team. Siham Jamaa This project was made possible in part by the support of the Québec Religious Heritage Council and Tourisme Montréal. The publisher wishes to thank the following people who sit on the Montréal Religious Heritage Roundtable and who collaborated in the revision of the texts: Susan Bronson, Anne-Marie Dufour, Jocelyn Groulx, David Hanna, Johanne Picard and Caroline Tanguay. The publisher also wishes to emphasize the participation of the following individuals, consulted during one or more stages during the preparation of this work: Mario Brodeur, Michel Couturier, Raphaëlle Daigneault, Danielle Decelles, Mireille Desrochers, Clarence Epstein, Lynn Habel, Madeleine Juneau, Paul Labonne, Marc Lacasse, Mylène Laurendeau, Stephan Martel, Dominique Tremblay and Janis Zubalik. Ulysses Travel Guides acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada. Ulysses Travel Guides would also like to thank the Government of Québec Tax credit for book publishing Administered by SODEC. In order to facilitate your viewing, this e-book does not contain a blocking device. It is however identified by a digital watermark that ensures its traceability in case of piracy. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying, without the written permission of the publisher. Guides de voyage Ulysse inc. Tous droits réservés ISBN 978-2-76581-717-8 (PDF version)