Record of the Week: Diocese of Toronto is raised to Archdiocese

Portrait of Most. Rev. Lynch by Kurz & Allison, Art Publishers, Chicago,1884.
PH04/04P

On this day in 1870, the See of Toronto was elevated to an archdiocese, making Bishop John Joseph Lynch its first archbishop.

This decision was made during the First Vatican Council, 1869-1870 (so-called because it was the first council held at the Vatican Basilica).

These two bulls of Pope Pius IX:

• divide the Ecclesiastical Province of Quebec to erect the Ecclesiastical Province of Toronto, and raise the See of Toronto to metropolitan status;
• nominate Bishop Lynch to the Metropolitan See of Toronto.

As a result of Toronto gaining metropolitan status, the Dioceses of Kingston, Hamilton, and Sandwich were also established as suffragan sees.

Bulls of Pope Pius IX dated March 18, 1870
L RC 52.09 & 52.10