It started with one man in a worker’s jacket in the front row, rising to his feet and clapping. Across the aisle, the boys in red blazers from the choir school took their cue to pop up en masse. On Friday, St. Michael’s was reopened and consecrated as a minor basilica, a church of special ceremonial importance. The renovation work started with a planned addition of washrooms, but led to discovery of structural problems, including weakened columns and a precarious tower. A plan to repaint the front doors likewise led to cascading discoveries of lead paint, weakened plaster, asbestos insulation.

Source: National Post September 30, 2016 22:59 UTC