St. Mary's Polish Church to reopen Sunday - Action News
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Nova Scotia

St. Mary's Polish Church to reopen Sunday

The doors of the newly rebuilt St. Mary's Polish Church in Cape Breton will reopen to the community during an open house on Sunday.

100-year old church burned to the ground in November 2014

St. Mary's Polish Church has been rebuilt. (Gary Mansfield/CBC)

St. Mary's Polish Church in Whitney Pier, Cape Breton,has risen from the ashes following a spectacular fire that burned the 100-year-old building to the ground in November 2014.

The doors of the newly rebuilt church will reopen to the community during an open house on Sunday.

TomUrbaniak, parish council chair, said the congregation is celebrating.

"It is exhilarating," he said.

The church is hosting an open house on Sunday. (Gary Mansfield/CBC)

Insurance paid for much of the reconstruction, but chalices, pews, a lectern and a stained glass window were all donated by local churches.An altar was donated by parishioners in Wisla, Man.

"Their whole parish and their larger community raised money and then hit the road with the altar and spent a week with us," Urbaniak said.

Fire destroyed the church in November 2014. (George Mortimer/CBC)

The new building has a modified Polish gothic style of architecture.

Despite some changes to the building, the Nova Scotia government has agreed to retainits heritage designation.

Insurance paid for much of the reconstruction, but other pieces were donated. (Gary Mansfield/CBC)

"One of the character-defining elements of the church was its continuing use by people of Polish heritage for spiritual and cultural purposes," Urbaniaksaid.

"So there was an important intangible element."

The open house on Sunday runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The official mass of consecration happens on Sunday, July 3, at 2 p.m.

The altar was donated by parishioners in Wisla, Man. (Gary Mansfield/CBC)