London North Central Catholic Family of Parishes
St. Michael's Parish | St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica
St. Josephine Bakhita African & Caribbean Catholic Community
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St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica Interior Restoration
A Sacred Renewal
CURRENT INFORMATION
Restoration-Related Schedule & Access Updates
Last updated August 18, 2026
WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE CHANGE
Effective August 24, 2026
As restoration work begins at St. Peter's Cathedral, changes to the weekday Mass schedule will take effect.
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Friday noon Mass at the Cathedral remains unchanged.
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Saturday Confessions remain at 9:00 AM at both St. Peter's and St. Michael's.
The new schedule will remain in place until further notice.
ACCESS
During Mass times, the Main Entrance remains open, with accessible entry available through the East Entrance. The Cathedral is closed to the public outside scheduled Mass & Confession times.
SEATING
Limited. The pews in the transepts will not be available. Please arrive early for Mass.
PARKING
Limited. Please arrive early for Mass or plan your visit accordingly.
PARISH OFFICE
No change. Open Tuesday - Friday from 9 AM - 3 PM. Contact 519-432-3275 / basilica@dol.ca.
Restoring a Sacred Landmark for Generations to Come
St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica stands at the heart of our faith and our city. Through this restoration, we are preserving its beauty, renewing sacred spaces, and strengthening the Cathedral for generations to come.
Why This Restoration is Significant
For more than 140 years, St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica has stood as a place of worship, prayer, beauty, and community in downtown London. This is more than a building project; it is a commitment to stewardship.
Over time, natural wear, aging materials, and environmental factors have impacted key areas of the Cathedral. This will help preserve:
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Sacred art and architecture
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A renewed space for worship and prayer
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Structural integrity for future generations
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A welcoming and beautiful environment for all
PROJECT OVERVIEW (PHASE ONE)
Phase One restoration areas within the Cathedral
What Phase One Covers
Phase One focuses on the most visible and significant liturgical spaces:
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Central Sanctuary
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East & West Transepts
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East & West Chapels
Restoration work includes painting, fresco conservation, lighting renewal, window restoration, furnishings, and preservation of sacred elements.
Architectural Planning & Restoration Design
The restoration planning and architectural coordination for this project are being undertaken in collaboration with:
WHAT WILL BE RESTORED
1. Sacred Walls & Architectural Surfaces
Scope:
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Repainting walls throughout the sanctuary, transepts, and chapels
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Restoring original tones and architectural detail
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Addressing visible wear and aging surfaces
2. Sacred Art & Frescos
Scope:
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Cleaning and restoring wall frescos
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Ceiling fresco conservation
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Preserving original sacred artwork
3. Windows & Architectural Details
Scope:
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Stripping and refinishing window frames
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Preserving structural integrity of window systems
Use the navigation arrows or allow the gallery to autoplay to view the next images.
4. Lighting Renewal
Scope:
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Replacing outdated fixtures
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Introducing energy-efficient LED lighting
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Enhancing visibility while respecting sacred ambiance
Use the navigation arrows or allow the gallery to autoplay to view the next images.
5. Furnishings & Liturgical Elements
Scope:
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Reupholstering sanctuary chairs
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Replacing kneelers in pews
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Restoring liturgical furnishings
Use the navigation arrows or allow the gallery to autoplay to view the next images.
6. Chapel, Statues & Sacred Features
Scope:
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Restoration and repositioning of statues
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Protection of sacred relics
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Chapel-specific restoration work
Statue Work
Statue Work
Relics protection
Statue Work
Use the navigation arrows or allow the gallery to autoplay to view the next images.
7. Structural Inspection & Repairs
Scope:
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Identifying structural concerns
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Repairing cracks and compromised areas
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Ensuring long-term stability
HIGH-LEVEL TIMELINE
INFORMATION EVENING HIGHLIGHTS
Cathedral Restoration Information Evening Draws Strong Community Interest
More than 100 people gathered at St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica on June 3, 2026, for an information evening on the proposed interior restoration—an encouraging step in the Cathedral’s renewal.
The evening featured presentations from Michael Wojtak, Parish Business Manager, Andrew Jardine, Diocese of London CFO, and representatives from A+ Link Architecture Inc., including Alicia Lesniak. Together, they shared the vision, priorities, and next steps for the project, with a focus on long-term stewardship of this sacred space.
Guests viewed restoration renderings, historical photos, and sample floor tiles, helping bring the plans to life. A thoughtful question-and-answer period followed, with strong interest in preserving the Cathedral’s character, the scope of the work, and opportunities for community involvement. The discussion reflected both deep appreciation for the Cathedral’s heritage and hope for its future.
CTV News was also in attendance, helping share the story with the wider London community.
Following the presentation, guests gathered in the narthex for refreshments and conversation. They enjoyed custom-made “Cathedral cookies” and commemorative tokens - small keepsakes that marked the occasion. The evening was further enriched by the presence of clergy from across the Diocese, including active and retired priests, reflecting the Cathedral’s importance to many.
Overall, the atmosphere was one of hope, enthusiasm, and shared commitment to preserving St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica for future generations.
A recording of the presentation will be made available for those unable to attend. Thank you to all who helped make the evening a success. We look forward to sharing updates as this important project continues.
[ VIEW PRESENTATION ]
PHOTO GALLERY
IN THE MEDIA
The restoration of St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica has been featured by local media outlets, helping share the vision and importance of this restoration.
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The London Free Press
Coverage of the restoration initiative and the importance of preserving one of London's most historic and recognisable places of worship. Article also available in Windsor Star.
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CTV News
Highlights and media coverage from the Cathedral Restoration Information Evening held on June 3, 2026, at St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica.
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CBC London News
Interview and coverage of the restoration project, the day after the Information Evening.
Rogers TV Community News
A behind-the-scenes look at the Cathedral restoration initiative, including project goals, heritage significance, and upcoming restoration plans.
The Morning Show with
Devon Peacock
A conversation on the vision, heritage, and future restoration of St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica
Faith 99.9 FM
Helping share news of the Cathedral Restoration Information Evening and inviting the community to learn more about this important renewal project.
Additional interviews, articles, and project updates will be added as the restoration journey continues.
Thank you to our media partners for helping share our story of sacred renewal.
RESTORATION PROJECT UPDATES - New!
Follow the restoration as work progresses, with periodic updates on what's happening, what has been completed and what's coming next.
August 30, 2026 Scaffolding Takes Shape With the arrival of scaffolding to our parking lot last week, our contractor has spent the past week erecting a structure within the sanctuary space. Although the platform rises to the height of a four-storey building, there’s still enough space for conservators and painters to work on restoring the uppermost ceiling above the altar and cathedra. Once the scaffolding is fully in place over the next 2 weeks, our engineers will be doing some investigative work in the coming weeks to determine the cause of the growing cracks in the walls around the rose windows and above the beautiful Pieta sculpture. As was mentioned last week in our pre-Mass announcements, the pews in the east and west transepts will be removed. Seating will not be available in either of those areas. As indicated earlier this summer, our Pastoral Team aims to keep the Cathedral fully open for Friday and weekend Masses throughout the restoration. This approach will obviously represent unique challenges for both our contractors and you, our parishioners. To accommodate the work schedule, and to ensure everyone’s safety, we’ll continue to keep you up-to-date with any necessary changes that may impact how we worship during our celebrations. As always, please follow the directions of our Hospitality Ministers when approaching the altar during our Communion Procession or when exiting the church. We thank you for your patience during this exciting time in the life of your Cathedral.
July 26, 2026 Site Preparation Begins During the second week of August, contractors will be rearranging some of the safety fencing along the north side of our parking lot to permit the placement of waste bins on the foundation of the former school site. At the same time, heavy equipment will also be on-site for the removal of unused iron pressure vessels and piping in the basement of the Cathedral's boiler rooms. Due to the nature of the work, circulation fans will be turned off to prevent excessive amounts of dust and smoke from welding torches from entering the Cathedral's interior space. For a two-week period, this work will result in the loss of approximately 6 parking spots adjacent to the rear doors of the sacristy.
FOLLOW THE RESTORATION JOURNEY
Stay connected as we share project updates, behind-the-scenes progress, architectural insights, milestone moments, and opportunities to be part of the renewal of St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica.
Beyond the Cathedral Walls
Take a closer look at the Cathedral's beautiful spaces and architectural details through our ongoing video series, documenting them as they are today and following their journey through the restoration.
[ WATCH THE SERIES ]
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Ways to support
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One-time donation
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Monthly commitment
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Sponsorship opportunities
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Participation in parish fundraising events