The Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Quebec may have found its salvation. A Christian community has submitted a purchase offer to acquire the imposing place of worship which sits in the landscape of the capital, unoccupied for almost nine years.
The deterioration of the building forced the closure of its doors to the public on May 24, 2015. Since then, the factory has said it is open to transferring the property to anyone who wants to ensure its sustainability, but no one is rushing to acquire the church, which requires a makeover costing tens of millions of dollars.
A few weeks ago, however, a community, Christian without being Catholic, presented an offer to purchase it. “She was able to see the church’s health record and she was able to visit the premises,” reports André Bernier, general director of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste parish. I think she knows what she’s doing. »
The parish refuses to reveal the content of the purchase offer, “out of respect for the parishioners, but also out of respect for the other party.”
Monument
The potential buyer must nevertheless have well-stocked coffers. A health report commissioned by the City of Quebec two years ago estimated that $34 million would have to be invested over 15 years to fully restore the historic monument, classified since 1991 because of its exceptional heritage value.
Parishioners will be able to read the details of the purchase offer this Sunday. It is at this moment that the factory will present the identity of the interested community.
“It will be a consultation, but under the Factories Act, there will be no vote in the parish assembly,” specifies André Bernier. It is the factory assembly which must first accept the final offer before submitting it to the bishop for approval. Authorization from the Minister of Culture will also be required since it is a heritage property. »
The City of Quebec, in concert with the Canadian Institute of Quebec, had put together a plan to take over the church to make it a hub open to artists and the community. The factory, however, did not receive any purchase offer from the City, even after the presentation of the conversion site in March 2023.
“If the City had made an interesting offer, we would have studied it,” underlines André Bernier.
In the hands of another religious community, the church would, however, retain its initial vocation. “Our priority is that it be used for worship,” recalls the general director of the parish. The church will be able to continue to serve Christian worship and this is very good news. »
The masterpiece of the architect Peachy
The Saint-Jean-Baptiste church is among the most beautiful in Quebec and has, in the eyes of the City and the Ministry of Culture, exceptional heritage value. It is the masterpiece in the imposing inventory of achievements of the architect Joseph-Ferdinand Peachy, already renowned, at the time, for his work on the Quebec seminary, the Ursuline monastery or on the imposing Saint-Sauveur church, in the lower town of the capital. The facade of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church, with its imposing arcaded porch, its rose window framed by two cylinder windows and its pilasters, is faithfully inspired by the facade of the church of the Sainte-Trinité in Paris.
“The Saint-Jean-Baptiste church is a remarkable example of the influence of the principles and forms of the Second Empire style on Quebec religious architecture,” explains the directory of Quebec cultural heritage.
The interior of the place of worship also conceals great artistic value, notable for its statuary ensemble, the listed organ designed by Napoléon Déry and the trompe-l’oeil highlights, in particular, which “accentuate the opulence of the decor “.