Building A Cathedral
The rapid growth of the Irish population in St. John's during the early years of the 19th century necessitated several expansions to the Roman Catholic Chapel. By the mid-1830s, the Old Chapel had long outlived its usefulness and Bishop Fleming wished to construct a house of worship capable of holding his congregation. Construction was supervised by Bishop Fleming and later by his successor, Bishop John Mullock. Built between 1839-1855 of stone imported from Ireland, the Basilica of St. John The Baptist still stands. The St. John's Basilica was contemporary with and part of the great boom in church construction which surrounded the age of Catholic Emancipation in Ireland and Newfoundland.
Read more about this topic: Irish Newfoundlanders
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