The history of one of the oldest temples of Toronto, St. Michael's Cathedral, started with an ambitious large-scale project of a famous Canadian architect William Thomas. He also built eight other churches of the city. According to an old legend, the foundation of the Catholic cathedral was dug manually by locals in exchange for the promised barbecue. In 1845, a bishop Michael Power laid the cornerstone. On that solemn day, several fragments of the column and roof of the old York Minster, that were specially brought from remote England, were sealed in the cathedral. Unfortunately, the construction was stopped by an unexpected illness and death of the bishop; you can see his grave in the crypt of the St. Michael's Cathedral today, as wells as a grave of the temple's architect, who fell from the roof. The building of the Canadian shrine was resumed after a couple of years, thanks to generous donations from sir John Elmsley, one of the most influential people of the country during the XVIII-XIX centuries. That was the time when St. Michael's Cathedral was consecrated.

Today the main sanctuary of Toronto, the majestic St. Michael's Cathedral, is an outstanding example of Gothic architecture of the Middle Ages. Its slender high tower with a thin spire, around 80 meters high, and pointed arches make the grand cathedral stand out against the background of other city buildings. The luxurious stone molding makes the appearance even more solemn. Only the gentle cream color of its walls and turquoise tiles on the roof soften the features of the old temple.

The interior of the temple is worth special attention. A wide central passage with long wooden benches on both sides, luxurious marble bowls which are placed near the main entrance and filled with holy water, lacquered wooden sculptures and authentic works of art (paintings inspired by Bible plots) – everything creates an atmosphere of the majesty of the Roman Catholic Church.