Denomination: CATHOLIC

Cap-de-la-Madeleine Votive chapel
626, Notre-Dame Street, Cap-de-la Madeleine (Quebec) G8T 4G9

n 1659, Pierre Boucher, governor of Trois-Rivières, built a chapel in the middle of a redoubt on land that was given by the Jesuits. Two years later he sold the chapel to the Jesuits and had it transported and rebuilt on the site of the present Cap-de-la-Madeleine Church. This modest building of 30 by 18 feet was dedicated to Mary Madeleine and was used by the mission for the converted aboriginals for over half a century.
Photo: D. Stiebeling
n 1714 Monsignor de Saint-Vallier, bishop of Quebec, declared to the occupants: "that his intention was that they manifest their zeal for honouring the great saint, their patron, by working on building a new church for her." Construction was spread out over five years, between 1715 and 1720.
The church, which is 60 by 30 feet, was erected according to a simple plan: a nave ending in a semicircular sanctuary. A single chapel flanked the nave, and the sacristy was placed in the semicircular space behind the altar. It was not until 1762 that construction was started on the present-day sacristy behind the sanctuary.
From the side view one sees that the church has maintained its original appearance, at least on one side. The small chapel appears to be more of an addition than a transept projecting from either side of the nave's crossing. The openings of the façade, even if they resemble those mentioned in the archives, have most likely been altered at some point, like the church tower that has been reconstructed on several occasion. Generally speaking, the restoration of 1904 returned the antiquated allure to the church.


Photo: D. Stiebeling 		he Cap-de-la-Madeleine Church , like Saint Pierre de l'île d'Orléans, is a good example of the first parish churches particular to Quebec, and developed from European models. In this sense, it is not an early form but rather a successful end result in religious architecture of New France.

n 1879, demolishing the church to make space for a new building was being contemplated. However, the original church was saved due to the constant commitment of the priest, who wanted to transport stone for the new edifice over the ice on the river. The priest's wish was granted and he put the former church under the protection of Très Saint-Rosaire. The new church, built according to the plans designed by architect Jean-Baptiste Bourgeois, used the former sanctuary as a chapel off the extension of its transept. When carrying out the construction of the present-day sanctuary of the Cap-de-la-Madeleine (according to the plans of architect Adrien Dufresne), the building of 1879 was demolished and replaced by the modern annex that today flanks the south side of the original church.

he interior decoration was entirely redone during the work of 1904. Attempts to maintain an old character in the church were made in the reconstruction of an altarpiece and vault constructed to resemble those of the XIXth century. The tabernacle of the main altar is nevertheless old, and remains the masterpiece of the interior decoration. In all likelihood, it is French and was imported in the XVIIIth century, and it may have been subjected to some modifications throughout the years.

he historic painting of Rosaire, often cited as a work of Pierre Boucher, is most likely a product of the XIXth century or was at least extremely altered at this time.
The Cap-de-la-Madeleine Church has survived thanks to its newer use as a votive chapel. Functioning as a votive chapel, it is, compared to other old churches in Quebec, the most visited religious building by pilgrims from Canada and the United States. The task at hand now is to make it known and appreciated by those who are unfamiliar with the chapel and expose it to those who think that Cap-de-la-Madeleine is nothing more than the modern sanctuary.

Bibliography:
Anonyme, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, cité de l'avenir. Cap-de-la-Madeleine [s.édit.] -34p.
Anonyme, "Notes sur le Cap-de-la-Madeleine", In: BRH, vol. XXXIII, pp.96-97.
Breton, (père),Le Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Trois-Rivières, 1937.
QQIBC, Fonds Gérard Morisset. Dossiers Cap-de-la-Madeleine, église.

Text: Luc Noppen, Les Églises du Québec (1600-1850), Éditeur officiel du Québec, FIDES, 1977, p.86
English translation: Clara Gabriel
Previous monument | Index | French version | Next monument