The Saint-Sulpice Seminary () is a building in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

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. It is the second oldest structure in Montreal and was declared a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...

in 1980. It is located in the Ville-Marie Borough in the

Old Montreal Old Montreal (, ) is a historic List of neighbourhoods in Montreal, neighbourhood within the List of municipalities in Quebec, municipality of Montreal in the province of Quebec, Canada. Home to the Old Port of Montreal, the neighbourhood is b ...

district, next to Notre-Dame Basilica on

Notre-Dame Street Notre-Dame Street (officially in ) is a historic east–west street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs parallel to the Saint Lawrence River, from Lachine, Quebec, Lachine to the eastern tip of the Island of Montreal, island in Poi ...

, facing

Place d'Armes Place d'Armes () is a Town square, square of the Old Montreal quarter of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada anchored by Maisonneuve Monument, a monument in memory of Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, Paul de Chomedey, founder of Montreal. Buildings that s ...

. The

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

is a classic U-shaped building featuring a palatial style and includes an annex. Saint-Sulpice Seminary was founded in 1657 by the Society of Priests of Saint Sulpice, who have been the sole owner of the building since its creation. Construction began in 1684 by François Dollier de Casson, superior of the Sulpicians, and was completed in 1687, although later additions, such as the clock, were completed by 1713. It was dedicated to the education of secular priests and to mission work among native peoples in

New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...

Clock

The façade of the building is adorned with a clock, constructed and installed in 1701, near the top. The clock’s dial was created in Paris, engraved by Paul Labrosse and gilded by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame. The clock is one of the oldest of its kind in North America.

Seminary gardens

Following a monastic tradition, the Sulpicians built a garden in the 17th century near their seminary to grow fruits and vegetables. The garden borrowed the French tradition from the Renaissance of the geometrical arrangement of the aisles with the lawn and central statue. The gardens are one of the oldest gardens of its kind in North America.

Notable alumni

* James Augustine Healy, first known African-American Catholic priest in history; later transferred to Sulpician seminary in Paris.

Notes

Bibliography

* Hustak, Alan. “ aint Patrick’s of Montreal: The Biography of a Basilica” The Gazette (Index-Only). 1998. * Leitch, Gillian Irene. “Community and Identity in Nineteenth Century Montreal: The Founding of Saint Patrick’s Church.” University of Ottawa Canada, 2009.' * Oliver Maurault, "Le Troisieme Centenaire de Saint-Sulpice" (Monreal: Le Devoir) 1941. * "Saint-Sulpice Seminary and its Gardens". Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada. Parks Canada. Retrieved August 17, 2011. * Saint-Sulpice Seminary and its Gardens. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved August 17, 2011. *Santerre, Frédéric. "The Sulpicians of Montreal and Their Books: A Legacy of National Importance in Quebec." ''Catholic Library World'' 94 no.3 (April 2024): 170-182. * The Canadian Province Sulpicans, "A brief history: The Society of Saint Sulpice in Canada" * "The Old Seminary and Notre-Dame Basilica". Old Montreal Web site. Retrieved 2009-01-08. * "National Historic Sites Of Canada System Plan". Parks Canada. Retrieved 2009-01-08. {{authority control 1657 establishments in the French colonial empire 1687 establishments in the French colonial empire Educational buildings in Montreal Estate gardens in Canada French colonial architecture in Canada Heritage buildings of Quebec History of Montreal Landmarks in Montreal National Historic Sites in Quebec New France Old Montreal Religious buildings and structures completed in 1687 Roman Catholic churches completed in 1687 Seminaries and theological colleges in Canada Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings 17th-century churches in Canada Religious buildings and structures in Montreal Sulpicians

Clock

Seminary gardens

Notable alumni

See also

Notes

Bibliography