Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
St. Mary's Basilica (Halifax, N.S.) fonds
General material designation
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Title statements of responsibility
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Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1800-1969 (Creation)
- Creator
- St. Mary's Basilica (Halifax, N.S.: Catholic)
Physical description area
Physical description
- 3.4 m of textual records
- 32 architectural drawings
- 2 cartographic materials
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
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Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
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Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
St. Mary's Basilica is the main church of the Archdiocese of Halifax, NS, Canada. It is part of the Roman Catholic Church, a world-wide religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose leader is the Pope in Rome. It was founded in 1784 and given the name St. Peter's Church shortly after the repeal of Catholic penal laws allowed Catholics freedom of worship in Nova Scotia. In 1829 this wooden church was replaced by a stone cathedral and the name was changed to St. Mary's Cathedral. In 1950, St. Mary's Cathedral was elevated to the status of a minor basilica. In 1997, it was recognized as a national historic site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. In addition to being the parish for a community of Irish Catholic immigrants, St. Mary's Basilica also functioned as the headquarters for the Catholic Church in Nova Scotia in its early history. The first resident priest was Rev. Edmund Burke, sent to Halifax in 1801 by the Archbishop of Quebec to lead the faithful Catholics of Nova Scotia. Rev. Burke began to keep records of the activities of this Church, including its finances, minutes of meetings, and who received the sacraments of baptism, marriage and burial.
Financial support for the priests' living and working expenses was provided through contributions made upon the receipt of a sacrament or service such as baptism, or sick call visits (stole fees). These contributions were carefully recorded. In 1843, the parish formed a committee, raised funds, and built a new cemetery and chapel called the Cemetery of the Holy Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel, under the leadership of Bishop William Walsh. To promote holiness among the people, the priests of St. Mary's Cathedral encouraged Catholics to join a parish club or society. Some societies were social or spiritual in nature such as the Holy Name Society and the St. Mary's and St. Patrick's Temperance Society, while others helped to carry out the work of the Church, like the St. Peter's Singing Society (which became the St. Mary's Cathedral Choir), or the St. Mary's Catechistical Society.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Fonds consists of: Series - Architectural plans and land surveys, Series - Cemetery of the Holy Cross records, Series - Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel records, Series - Financial records, Series - Holy Name Society of St. Mary's Cathedral records, Series - Metropolitan Chapter of St. Mary's records, Series - Minutes, Series - Parish Bulletins, Series - St. Mary's and St. Patrick's Temperance Society records, Series - St. Mary's Catechistical Society of Halifax records, Series - Sacramental registers, Series - Sermons, Series - Sick call books, Series - Society for the Propagation of the Faith records, Series - Sunday announcement books, Series - St. Peter's Singing Society records, Series - St. Mary's Young Men's Benevolent Society, Series - St. Mary's Cathedral School
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Acquired from St. Mary's Basilica over a number of years. Most were transferred pre-1990. Other transfers occurred in 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2000.
Arrangement
Original order of records was maintained despite multiple accruals because the records are in bound volumes.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script note
Some records are in Latin.
Location of originals
Retrieval nos.: 994-14, 995-51, 995-93, 995-94, 997-1, 997-3, 999-1, 999-7, 999-12, 999-28, 000-6, 002-18.
Availability of other formats
Sacramental registers available on microfilm at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Family Centres (the Mormons).
Restrictions on access
For records not microfilmed, access is by appointment.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Photocopying for research purposes is not permitted.
Finding aids
Associated materials
See also the various Bishops' papers.