The Cathedral Church of St. James

I have a deep appreciation for the beauty of architecture and I especially love exploring places of worship even though I am not a religious person. St. James Church, with its intricate carvings and brilliant stained glass, is indeed a magnificent example of architectural artistry. It is heartening to know that the church embraces inclusivity and welcomes everyone, regardless of their beliefs or background.

In today's world, where division and conflict seem to be the norm, the importance of inclusion cannot be overstated. Everyone deserves to feel seen, heard, and understood, and creating spaces where people from all walks of life can come together is a powerful way to foster understanding, empathy, and love.

The welcoming atmosphere of St. James Church is a testament to the power of inclusivity. It demonstrates that love and acceptance can transcend differences and create a sense of community that embraces everyone. This is a message that resonates deeply in today's climate, where we need to bridge divides and build bridges of understanding.

I am thankful to this church for their inclusivity for everyone. It's a reminder that love is the most potent force in the world, and that by embracing and celebrating our differences, we can create a more harmonious and inclusive society for all.

It's a lovely church. I walked quite a few blocks to get to this church as parking is pretty bad here. This Cathedral is a 1x visit for me.

This historical downtown Toronto Ontario building is home to a Christian Anglican congregation which has its roots as far back as 1797 according to historians.

Featured as an 1853 Gothic Revival cathedral, the parish held services prior to COVID-19 measures took effect but have now restarted limited in-person Sunday worship.

Many church ministries and community outreach initiatives have been negatively impacted by this pandemic.

Remind yourself to Keep the Faith!

Meeting up here for a free walking tour (even though the tour guide did not appear, perhaps because of the rain), I had a good opportunity to see the outside and the inside of this beautiful church as well as the lovely grounds.

The first church was build here in 1803-1807 with the aid of public subscriptions and a government grant. That frame building was enlarged in 1818-19 and replaced by a larger one in 1831. The first incumbent was the Reverend George Okill Stuart, who served from 1800 to 1812 when he was succeeded by the Reverend John Strachan, later first bishop of Toronto. The second church was burnt in 1839. Toronto's first cathedral was then erected on this site but was destroyed by the great fire of 1849. The present cathedral was begun in 1850, opened for divine service in 1852 and completed in 1874.

The structure is stunning, the interior is classic and peaceful. It is open to the public and you're welcome inside but please keep in mind as you do so that this is an active church so please be considerate of the other parishioners.

[Review 10975 overall, 747 of 2019.]

I am not a religious person. But I love Churches!

Aside from a place of worship, there are also significance in the historical and architectural context.

I visited St James' a couple of time through the years since I took a few Art and Architecture courses at U of T.

Free for everyone and open 7 days a week, you can even download the self led guide from their website so you can have some background history and have some ideas what you are looking at or for.

Or you can just drop by when there are no services, just sitting inside enjoy the quietness of the space. On a Sunny day, the stained glass windows for sure a sight to behold.

On my way to St Lawrence Market, I stopped by this Cathedral. From the outside, the cathedral is big and with a gothic architectural design. When you walk in, you are greeted with an absolutely gorgeous stained glass church. It's open to the public. So go inside, take some pictures, and enjoy the good vibe. Treat this place like a library. The tourists try to stay quiet as possible or speak in low voice. They do have services here on Sunday morning. If you are not interested in attending the church service, I recommend going in the afternoon on Sundays.

Gorgeous church, feels very much like the old European cathedrals. Family friends are members here and they gave us a small tour. Loved the old pews with doors. Didn't get to go to service, but imagine they would be amazing!

I will one day own an old church and call it my home. Until then, and probably after, I will love to explore old churches. Without going into detail about why I love them, it's the architecture combined with when they were built and the whole overall feel that I totally love.

We were busy getting lost in Toronto when we spied this gem while riding the streetcar. I can't stand when places like this don't let you in to check the place out, but this church is totally open for visitors I believe everyday.

Now if you are lucky enough to be here when the organ is firing on all cylinders, I suggest staying for a bit. We were lucky enough to see this beast in action. Two giant sets of pipes set up on either side of the alter, plus a larger set behind the benches. My grandma played the organ for 50 years at her church, so this was amazing to hear such a large one belt out the tones that it did.

Aside from the organ you can walk around and check out historical plaques and some nice examples of stained glass work.

So on you next visit to Toronto, stop by and see some old charm of this 100+ year old church

Another stop on Nuit Blanche night! This wasn't a planned venue, but it gave us an opportunity to go inside the St. James' Cathedral. From the outside, it's a classic church, just old school beautiful. It sits on a pretty big chunk of land, there's a little small park with garden on the east side of the church.

The inside is more stunningly beautiful than the outside.. If only all churches would look like this! Their pews look like they are straight out of a movie. Each row has it's own small flapping door, really cute. The seats are covered in red velvety material and are the softest church seats I've ever sat in! I could comfortably sleep here, which I don't think was their purpose.

A friend of mine lives right by this church and loves the sound of the bells (they truly are beautiful). It's a really cool place, whether you're religious or not. The spire at its top is the tallest in Canada and the church exhibits some of the largest amount of Tiffany Style Stained Glass I've ever seen. Impressive also is the Cathedral's organ, which contains nearly 5,000 pipes some going back as early as 1853. It's a really peaceful place to take a rest from a walk around the city or partake in a bit of Toronto's history (Bishop Strachan, the first Bishop of Toronto, is buried in the crypt of the Cathedral).