Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral, Moncton, NB

Built between 1939 and 1940 as the Monument of Recognition, Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral is a symbol of the achievements and resilience of Acadians. It recounts their history in decorative elements, such as the tower sculpture of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, patron saint of Acadie, capitals sculpted by Acadians, and stained glass windows depicting both secular and religious events in the history of Acadie, including the creation of the Acadian flag. The Cathedral’s exterior architecture combines elements of Art Deco and Gothic Revival styles, while the interior draws from the Romanesque style. Built to affirm Acadians’ identity, its construction mobilized the Acadian community and diaspora behind a project to erect the first large-scale building commemorating them as a distinct people. The cathedral is associated with the establishment of the Archdiocese of Moncton in 1936.

The cathedral was built according to plans drafted by architect Louis Napoléon Audet (1881-1971). Many of its decorative elements refer to the Acadian people and their history. Inside the cathedral, the capitals (crowns) on the pillars facing the main altar were carved by Acadian craftspeople and depict, among other things, various elements of the local economy. These include fishermen and labourers, traditional jobs in the region, as well as a lobster, a sheaf of wheat in addition to an airplane and a locomotive that symbolize Moncton’s place as the ‘Hub of the Maritimes’. The nave’s stained glass windows, which were made by French artist and mosaicist Auguste Labouret, give the cathedral a distinctive character and consist of two parts: an Old Testament female character and a mystery in the life of Mary. The monumental exterior sculptures, the statue of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, as well as the statues of the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are carved out of the stone of the pilasters of the exterior façade. Measuring four metres high, they are the works of sculptor Sebastiano Aiello.

Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral is the physical manifestation of decades of efforts by Acadians to win recognition for their presence, demographic importance, and legitimate rights as full citizens. Construction was not only supported by Acadians in the archdiocese, but also across the Maritimes, Quebec, Louisiana, and New England.

The cathedral stands on the former site of a crypt and unfinished chapel that was used as a place of worship in Moncton’s first French-speaking parish, which was itself born out of St. Bernard’s Parish’s dismemberment in 1914. Acadians in New Brunswick and the Maritime provinces consider it to be a crown jewel of their architectural heritage, and its historical and heritage value stems in large part from the associative and symbolic values conferred on it by the Acadian community.

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