Comunidade da Paróquia do Senhor Santo Cristo

Founding Date:1988
Address:1100 Kenaston Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1B3P5
Telephone:613-741-4087

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The Church of Senhor Santo Cristo was built to serve as the religious centre for the Portuguese living in the Ottawa region. Here, mass and other ceremonies were conducted in Portuguese but other activities also started to take place, leading to the formation of different groups geared toward varied religious, social and cultural aspects. Suddenly, the church also became a social and cultural centre.

The building is divided into two distinct parts: on the main floor, the church; in the basement, a hall and a bar. Although most celebrations have a religious foundation, there are also other social gatherings that complement and help enhance the faith of the members of the parish. The hall has a capacity for around 400 people.

Senhor Santo Cristo church

It was Father Octávio Cidadão who, in 1988, founded the church on the site of a building that was not officially a religious site but where mass was celebrated. The building was purchased under his leadership and then repurposed with the help of many volunteers from the community. Father Cidadão, along with the initial group of founders, anticipated a social segment of the church by also registering it as a community centre.

The main events celebrated here annually include the feasts of Espirito Santo, Senhor Santo Cristo and Our Lady of Fatima.

At one point, there was interest in forming a folk-dance group and different sports to attract the youth. However, this has yet to materialize. While the Portuguese-Canadians continue to be the main frequenters of the church, there are increasingly others from different cultures and backgrounds that call it their parish.

With files from Luso-Ontario Magazine, 2008
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