Its name is Burrows Avenue, but for nine blocks it was known as Holy Street

Holy Street.

That’s the name residents gave to Burrows Avenue in the city’s North End in the first half of the last century.

It got that name because of the eight churches — Mennonite Brethren, Presbyterian, Baptist, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox — and one synagogue once located on a nine-block stretch of road between Charles Street to the east and Sinclair Street to the west.

“One way to understand the history of the North End is through its places of worship,” said Kenneth Ingram, president, Seven Oaks Historical Society. “It’s the story of historic immigration, and how the area’s demographics have changed today.”

Ingram will lead a one-hour walking tour Sunday that tells the story of the North End through those places of worship. Called Facades & Faith: Sacred Spaces of the North End, the free tour begins at the corner of Burrows and Charles at 1 p.m.

What makes that section of Burrows unique is how many places of worship were located to close to each other, Ingram said, adding that over 100 years ago that area was the northern edge of Winnipeg.

“It was one of the most beautiful and picturesque streets in Winnipeg,” he said, noting it was filled with stately homes and beautiful churches.

That included St. Giles Presbyterian, Tabernacle Baptist Church (which later became the House of Ashkenazi Synagogue), St. Mary’s Polish National Catholic Church, Salem Reformed Church, North End Mennonite Brethren Church, Robertson Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral and St. John Cantius Roman Catholic Church.

“These sacred spaces once anchored immigrant communities and served as enduring landmarks of culture, identity, and belief,” Ingram said.

Today, the street is different, as are the demographics. Only a few of the church buildings are being use for their original purposes, one is abandoned and a couple are serving new congregations.

The former St. Giles Presbyterian Church is now the Salam Masjid Mosque, and the former Robertson Memorial Presbyterian Church is now used by Springs Church as a satellite congregation.

Also still in use is the Ashkenazi Synagogue, now the last synagogue out of at least 14 that once called the North End home.

A feature of Sunday’s tour will be then-and-now photos shown by Ingram, illustrating what the street and the places of worship looked like in the past compared to today.

For more information, or to register for the tour, go to wfp.to/holystreet.

faith@freepress.mb.ca

The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER