Tour the Cathedral

There are four Church Mice in residence at the Cathedral – only four that are in official, permanent residence!: Ms. Bishopmouse, Mr. Deanmouse, Miss Pulpitmouse and Mr. Lecternmouse. Can you find them and make a visit?

The word Cathedral comes from the Greek word cathedra, meaning chair. The presence of a Cathedra signifies that the church is a Cathedral – the Cathedral of the Diocese of Ottawa – and the official chair or throne of the Bishop of Ottawa. This Cathedra is carved out of oak, with a high back and arm posts supporting a six-sided, three-tiered carved crown.

This distinctive cross was installed in 2002, as part of the Cathedral’s restoration. It closely resembles the church’s original 1872 cross.

This filigreed cross is a cherished and beloved symbol of the Cathedral, and regularly appears in parish materials and various event and group logos.

In 1996, to mark its centennial as a Cathedral, the Canadian Heraldic Authority presented Christ Church Cathedral with its Coat of Arms.

The white mitre indicates the Cathedral as the Chair (Cathedra) of a Bishop.

On each side of the mitre are heavenly stars: The work of the church is to lead and bring others to Jesus.

The blue background signifies the heavens.

The golden rays of light come from the image of Christ as The Light.

The red Cross of St. George expresses the roots of the Anglican church.

On the red cross is a wavy cross. This image is taken from the Cathedral’s West Memorial Window. The west-to-east flow is that of the Ottawa River; the north, the Gatineau River; the south, the Rideau River and Canal system.

At the junction is the sacred monogram of Christ – the letters Chi and Rho, which begin the Greek word for Christ.

The Memorial Window was commissioned to celebrate the Sesquicentennial of the Cathedral (1832 – 1982) and was designed and made by Christopher Wallis, from London Ontario who also designed a number of new stained glass windows in Rideau Hall. It was dedicated by the Right Reverend Edward K. Lackey, Bishop of Ottawa.

The window is a dramatic stylistic shift from the Decorated Victorian style seen in the rest of the Cathedral, using transparent glass and a more mosaic-like technique. The central figure of the Lamb of God is superimposed on a series of blue wavy lines representing the joining of rivers: west-to-east flow is that of the Ottawa River; the north, the Gatineau River; the south, the Rideau River and Canal system. The Cross is flanked by symbols of faith and images of the Cathedral, the city, the nation’s history (e.g. the Anik II Satellite in the lower right panel), the natural world and the diverse faces of contemporary society.