Église catholique Saint-Pierre Catholic Church

This church is absolutely breathtaking. We got a private tour and learned alot about this iconic building in the middle of Cheticamp. If you can you definitely need to visit this amazing piece of history

Beautiful church, open to all.

Cant say enough about this beautiful church. I was an awe of its beauty. Rich in history. I must see

Highly recommend stopping inside for a quick look around.

Cheticamp is an Acadian Parish founded in 1785 and entrusted to the Eudist Fathers in 1953. Three churches have been successively built, in 1790, 1810, and 1861, about one mile south east of the present one.The present church was constructed in 1893 at the cost of $41,950 by Father Fiset whose tomb may be visited under the Sanctuary.Designed by David Ouellet (1844-1915), a Quebec City architect. Joseph-Hubert Morin, a contractor from Trois-Pistoles and the other tradesmen (including Jean Belzile et Fils) who worked on the church, were all from Quebec. With its tall silver spire and steeply pitched roof, it resembles many other Catholic churches built along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.The church is also valued as one of only a few stone churches on Cape Breton Island and as one of the finest examples of a style of church architecture developed in Quebec which is rarely seen outside that province. The main body of the church is constructed of rusticated sandstone and consists of a long nave with a large square central tower and open octagonal belfry on the west façade reaching over fifty metres in height. The main entrance is surmounted by a large rose window with stained glass. An elongated chapel and sacristy is attached to the eastern end of the church. Most of the exterior details of the church are French Neo-Classical in origin, such as rounded arch windows with keystones, pediments, and entablatures. Stones for the construction were hauled on the ice by groups of parishioners from Cheticamp Island across the harbour.The interior of the church is the most impressive aspect of architect Ouellet’s design. The barrel-vaulted nave with its two aisles and upper gallery leads the eye straight towards the main altar in the eastern apse. The ornate altar, built in 1912, has a Baroque-style baldacchino over the tabernacle. Two rows of nave piers with multiple Corinthian columns support an upper gallery and stop just one bay short of the chancel skilfully introducing the effect of a transept into the rectangular plan. The vault and ceilings, decorated with plasterwork and gold leaf, were completed by 1900.The church is 212 feet long, 74 feet wide and the steeple rises to 167 feet. In 1957 the church was repainted and decorated, frescoes and stained glass windows were added. The organ, one of the first Casavant, was acquired in 1904 and is still in excellent condition.St. Peter's Church is situated on high grounds near the harbour and can be seen from all parts of the Parish, from the mountains and from the sea for many miles around. This imposing monument, with its architecture, its frescoes and its stained glass windows, is one of the most beautiful churches in the Maritime Provinces. It is also a witness to the deep faith and determination of its parishioners of past and present generations.

Very nice church was here today for a funeral mass

Beautiful church, worth stepping in to have a look.

Beautiful Acadian church with an interesting secret about what you might think are marble pillars inside. They are hollow inside, if you knock them with your hands, you will hear the echo because they're not actually marble. Beautiful layout, extremely bright!

It's a very beautiful church to visit and she's over 100 years old and all built by hand.

For me it is a must to stop in and view this beautiful church every time I go to Cheticamp. If you do you will not be disappointed.