St. Jude's Cathedral (Iqaluit)

St. Jude's Cathedral
St. Jude's Cathedral in 1995.
Basic information
Location	Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
Geographic coordinates	63°44′51″N 068°31′00″W
Affiliation	Anglican Church of Canada
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Cathedral
Status	Demolished

St. Jude's Cathedral (formally the Cathedral of St. Simon and St. Jude) was the Anglican cathedral in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. Designed by Ronald Thom in 1970 and built in 1972 by local volunteers, it was demolished in June 2006 following a fire. Construction of a new cathedral is currently taking place in Iqaluit.

The cathedral was the seat of the Anglican Diocese of The Arctic, which covers the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec. It has the greatest area of any Anglican diocese in the world. The cathedral was also the parish church for the parish of Iqaluit.

The unique building, in the shape of an igloo, was a landmark and tourist attraction in Iqaluit, besides its important spiritual role for Iqalummiut (people of Iqaluit). It was well known for its decorations, most the product of Inuit craftsmanship; these included wall hangings, woven collection baskets, a cross made of narwhal tusks, and a carved soapstone baptismal font dedicated by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, during a visit to Iqaluit.

Interior of St. Jude's from 2001

Most of these works of art within the cathedral were destroyed by a fire, suspected to be arson, on 5 November 2005. The cathedral was subsequently found to be structurally unsound, and was demolished on 1 June 2006. Construction of a new and larger cathedral is currently under way and the new structure will also feature an igloo-inspired design. In the mean time, the congregation continues to meet in the parish hall, with services offered in English and Inuktitut.

External links

• Diocese of The Arctic
• CBC North - Igloo church damaged by weekend fire
• CBC North - Update
• Anglican Church of Canada report on the fire
• Photos of cathedral reconstruction