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Très-Saint-Rédempteur Church

3530, Adam Street, Montréal

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Published on : May 14 2021

Last modified on : July 09 2025

The Très-Saint-Rédempteur church, built in 1928 in the Mercier – Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, was closed and put up for sale in 2019 due to a lack of churchgoers. However, the building has still not found a buyer. The complex, including the annex, the presbytery and the church, is recognized for its exceptional heritage value by the City of Montreal. The church was built by architects Donat-Arthur Gascon and Louis Parant, the latter also being the architect of the Saint-Pierre-Apôtre church and Montreal City Hall, and the stained glass windows were made by Guido Nincheri. The church is not the oldest in the area, but it stands out for its Beaux-Arts architectural style, which breaks with the traditional Gothic style used for places of worship, as well as for its reinforced concrete construction, which allows for the creation of vast interior spaces.

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Église Très-Saint-Rédempteur et son presbytère

Source: Journal Métro (Archives TC Média)

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Intérieur, église Très-Saint-Rédempteur

Source: Musique Orgue Québec

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Intérieur et choeur, église Très-Saint-Rédempteur

Source: Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec

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According to the property listing posted by the real estate broker, the asking price for the building is $4 million. However, the Diocese of Montreal does not want the site to fall victim to speculation; rather, the Diocese would like the site to remain a place of Christian worship, without closing the door to residential development, as long as it includes social housing and family units.

While the future of places of worship is a concern for both the diocese and the City of Montreal, the lack of funds for their maintenance and redevelopment is a significant issue. Municipalities are drafting heritage interest statements with the goal of protecting their significant heritage, but “it comes with requirements that the owners are not able to meet. […] We are asked to maintain our heritage, but we don’t have the means to do so,” according to Caroline Clermont, who is responsible for buildings in the Diocese of Montreal, in an article in the Journal Métro of February 16, 2021 (in French, free translation). In the same article, William Gaudry, executive director of the Atelier d’histoire de Mercier – Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, “deplores the fact that the protection of religious heritage is done piecemeal in emergency situations. In his opinion, a recurring funding strategy by region for all churches must be put in place.”

The church was eventually acquired by Groupe Carosielli, the owner of the Rialto Theatre, with the intention of transforming the site into an event space.

  • Municipality or borough

    Mercier – Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough

  • Issues

    Urban Development

    Mechanisms for protection

    Urban Development

    Mechanisms for protection

  • Owner(s)

    Private: religious organization

  • Threat(s)

    Demand for land, speculation

    Lack of knowledge

    Vacant

    Demand for land, speculation

    Lack of knowledge

    Vacant

  • Conception

    Donat-Arthur Gascon and Louis Parant, architects; Guido Nincheri (realization of the stained glass windows)

  • Manager(s)

    Owner (Diocese of Montréal)

  • Categorie(s)

    Religious

    Religious

  • Construction year

    1928

  • Recognition status

    Building of exceptional heritage value

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