The Archbishop of Quebec and the organizing committee announced that the 350th celebrations of the Catholic Church of Quebec have begun.
Quebec, December 8, 2023 – The activities planned to mark the opening of the 350th celebrations of the Catholic Church of Quebec began on December 8, 2023. While the opening ceremony of the Holy Door took place, from 6:45 p.m., the general public was invited to come to Place de l'Hôtel de Ville to hear choirs join in the enchantment of the Quebec German Christmas Market.
Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec, puts this jubilee year into context: “The Catholic Church of Quebec is millions of people who, for 350 years, have contributed and still contribute to weaving threads of solidarity in the heart of the society. With their face in mind, we wish to revisit a rich historical heritage, to better consider the challenges that present themselves today. Let us seize the opportunity to remember, to better understand the present and inspire the future. »
The diocese of Quebec, whose territory originally extended over the vast expanses of New France, gave birth to more than 150 dioceses over time. Its community lived, celebrated and shared the faith, responded to social needs, founded organizations that are still essential today, and helped give life to the culture we inherit today. The fundamental importance of this legacy will be celebrated in programming that will also provide a look at the life of the current community.The grand opening celebration of the 350th anniversary continues until the end of the month, with “ The Great Choir Day ” of the German Christmas Market in Quebec this December 10, and the installation of the basilica's life-size nativity scene -Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral from December 15. Developed thanks to several partners, the program for the 350th Celebrations is available on the fetes350.ca website .
Destination “Holy Door”
This evening, on the patronal feast of the “Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary”, the seal of the Holy Door was broken to allow its opening. Many families representative of cultural diversity will accompany the Archbishop of Quebec for this ritual. The Gate can be entered after the ceremony at the end of the evening, then every day for the next year, always free of charge. The opening hours of the Holy Door and all useful information are available on the website portsaintequebec.ca .
The new access ramp to the Holy Door is ready to welcome the people. The 350th Festival team would like to thank its collaborators in the creation of this ramp: Construction Couture and Tanguay , and the architects and designers of STGM Architecture . Its contemporary design and the materials chosen harmonize particularly well with the heritage space that surrounds it.
In 2014, more than 300,000 people passed through the Holy Door during the year. This approach is accessible to people from all spiritual backgrounds. The opening of the only Holy Door outside of Europe makes the Notre-Dame de Québec basilica-cathedral a popular destination for pilgrims from around the world.
Mgr Marc Pelchat, auxiliary bishop in Quebec, who presides over the organization of the 350th celebrations , specifies: “Thanks to the help received, we can present an offer of activities of interest to the thousands of visitors who are expected during these festive weeks. We thus highlight a cultural and heritage heritage that has contributed to making us who we are today. It’s also a joy to help make our beautiful city of Quebec shine! Thank you to our partners, in particular to the Quebec Ministry of Tourism , which through its support gives wings to the Grand Opening Festival of the Holidays, from December 8 to 31. »
Mgr Pelchat continues: “The collaboration with the German Christmas Market in Quebec went wonderfully. A very natural alliance, thanks to the location, the time of year and the shared festive atmosphere.»
About
The celebrations of the 350th anniversary of the Catholic Church of Quebec are a production of the Diocese of Quebec. The diocesan committee surrounded itself with other professionals in the events sector. Delegated production was entrusted to Jean-Sébastien Brousseau ( Pointcomm ) and Jacques Dupuis ( Symbiose event marketing ). The team can count on partnerships with the German Christmas Market of Quebec, the Musée de la civilization du Québec, Les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France, the founding communities of Quebec and many others.
Source: Combined Press Releases from https://www.ecdq.org/
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