Tuesday, June 24, 2014

At The Crossroads Of History

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is one of our more prominent churches in the city, directly across the street from the Supreme Court and Parliament Hill's west flank. Prime Ministers, cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, and other high profile citizens have attended here. Crown Princess Juliana and her daughters worshiped here during their time in Ottawa during the Second World War. 


It is routinely part of Doors Open, and often has open hours during the week for those passing by. It's filled with stained glass, including this one, a recent window that incorporates birds.


One of the windows inside incorporates the Galahad theme often used in memorial windows, a knight in armour.


This theme of commemoration certainly reflects itself in this plaque commemorating the Second World War, both members who served in various branches of the military, as well as those who died.


The dead of the First World War are also commemorated on a plaque, as well as in this stained glass window flanked by the flags of St. Andrew and of Canada.


The congregation dates back to 1828, and the current church, a Gothic Revival building, was erected in the 1870s.


It is arranged in an unconventional style, a semi-circle around the pulpit area, halfway down the length of the sanctuary, and feels light and airy inside.


I have more from inside St. Andrew's tomorrow.


28 comments:

  1. That looks beautiful. Crisp - as you say, light and airy. And the windows are in a glass of their own (sorry!).

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  2. Well then, you are treading in the footsteps of all those politicians... :-) It's lovely and bright inside and I love your outside shot!

    Isn't Blogger a pain in the neck at the moment? :-)

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  3. Blogger bites!

    But the church is beautiful!

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  4. i have liked attending churches that have that 'up close' feeling to the altar, etc. and then other times, i like being way in the back pews. :)

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  5. You've certainly shown us a lot of gorgeous stained glass in the last few days. They are all really beautiful works of art.

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  6. @Mike: it really does achieve that light and airy feel inside.

    @Ciel: one of our better Prime Ministers made this his home church while in town.

    @Norma: thank you! I think so too.

    @Tex: I do like the arrangement in here.

    @Sharon: thank you! I enjoy them.

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  7. i love the airy-ness of it...very beautiful!

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  8. An impressive display of beautiful stained glass...

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  9. Love;y pieces, aren't they?
    (ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

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  10. It's a beautiful church William, gorgeous stained glass windows.. Brought back memories, when I was growing up in Zambia (Central Africa) my mum made me go to church every Sunday :) and our church was St. Andrews Presbyterian Church!

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  11. @Tanya: there's no gloom in this church!

    @VP: something about churches that I enjoy: the glass.

    @Jennifer: they certainly are.

    @Eve: I've always thought so.

    @Grace: many a Presbyterian church will be either a Knox or a St. Andrew's.

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  12. i am enjoying your open house posts. so fun!! love that stain glass. ( :
    you have a great week. thanks, for sharing.

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  13. More wonderful windows! Thank you, William.

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  14. How refreshing to know of a church that opens its doors during the week.

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  15. What a magnificent edifice! The plaques with the names of those serving and those that died in WWII were used by many organizations. We have the one for Twentynine Palms at our Old Schoolhouse Museum.

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  16. Superb stained-glass! I remember those war plaques years ago, but haven't seen them in churches built in recent years. The Presbyterians have an entirely different understanding of worship than do the liturgical clhurches - the Romans, the Anglicans, the Lutherans. That's why there is no center aisle and the focus is on the Bible - the Word and not an altar and sacrament.

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  17. Lovely photos!

    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^= <3

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  18. @Beth: thank you!

    @Cheryl: thanks!

    @Linda: You're welcome.

    @EG: There's another one coming up that has some opening hours at lunch as well.

    @Mari: it's a church that I've always liked.

    @Lowell: I think it's churches that really have a lot of history to them that you'll see them.

    @Cloudia: thank you!

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  19. Stained glass windows certainly are unique works of art!

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  20. One thing about Doors Open, there are usually lots of churches and lots of beautiful stained glass.

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  21. Watching the buildings and architecture. Apparently they are similar to the European construction, but in fact are different.
    Very interesting.

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  22. It's a beautiful interior with amazing windows!
    So much history...

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  23. This is one of the more interesting churches you've shown.

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  24. @Kate: they definitely are.

    @Luis: thank you!

    @Hamilton: it's certainly a good aspect to Doors Open.

    @Greensboro: it wouldn't surprise me if there are many cities that do.

    @Mariusz: there are a lot of European influences in our church architecture.

    @Pat: no shortage of history.

    @Kay: it has a lot of character.

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