First Mass

July 1604

Photos

Documentation

• Catholic Library
• Dictionary of Canadian Biography on Nicholas Aubry

Notes

"This is now known as De Monts Island, and is within the limits of the parish of the Immaculate Conception, which includes the city of Calais. Here, in a small chapel, quickly erected, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for the first time on the soil of New England by Rev. Nicholas Aubry of Paris in July, 1604." This mass is so early for New England, but also extremely unlikely to have occurred given that Fr Aubry was lost for 16 days in the Nova Scotia wilderness just one month prior, according to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. That source also says he was in a violent conflict with a Protestant minister on the expedition. Going with Diocesan here as I can't find any other sources, and it's said he was accompanied by a parish priest who died of scurvy.