by the way Devotional Depictions
It ’ s no secret that a significant portion of Alberta ’ s early settlers were French-Canadian . Their heritage is preserved in landmarks such as St . Jean Baptiste Church in Morinville , north of Edmonton . Morinville itself was founded in 1891 by Father John-Baptiste Morin and his parishioners . The existing church was built in 1907 and stands as a testament both to Catholicism ’ s central role in the life of the town and the grandiose architectural traditions of French religious culture . The edifice is unmissable on Morinville ’ s main street due to its striking Romanesque Revival and High Victorian Gothic elements . Inside it ’ s even more spectacular , with a barrel vaulted ceiling , elaborate altar , ecclesiastical statuary , and a semi-domed apse and sanctuary that boast ornate tableaux depicting the life of John the Baptist , the church ’ s patron saint . Painted by Montreal artist Louis-Eustache Monty , the 18 century-old panels also cite the names of the pioneering Morinville families whose $ 50 donations paid for the murals ’ creation . — Craig Moy curtis trent
62 SPRING 2017
AMA INSIdeR