TORONTO, ON-A brand new chapel at one of Canada's busiest airports is providing respite and a quiet place to pray for travelers and airport employees alike.

About 150 people gathered for the June 19 dedication ceremony opening the chapel located on the west side of Lester B. Pearson International Airport's new Terminal 1.

"It's a place to seek peace, tranquility and rejuvenation of spirit. We often have people who come in stressful situations," says Tom Day, a Roman Catholic priest at the chapel.

"I remember a couple who came in to the chapel very distressed after receiving a phone call that their son was killed in a car accident and they had to fly to Vancouver to identify the body. The chapel was there to offer comfort and prayer."

Chapels are an important part of the airport community says Steve Shaw, vice-president of corporate affairs and communications for the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA).

"It's interesting because this [terminal] is a big building and every space has a purpose. Here [in the chapel] the purpose is to provide people with quiet and reassurance for staff and travelers of all faiths," he says. "I think it's important because we are a multicultural society."

The chapel can accommodate up to 150 people and conducts daily Protestant and Roman Catholic services. In appearance, it looks like a regular church, with items such as an altar, images of Jesus and a holy water dispenser. Chaplains and volunteers offer counseling and Bible study and sometimes even perform baptisms and weddings.

What sets the chapel apart, however, is a multi-faith prayer room, available to anyone seeking a quiet place for prayer and reflection. Visitors also receive prayer cards that include a guardian angel pin, a picture of an angel and a special printed prayer for travelers.

"We do exactly what a normal parish does and more," says Baptist chaplain Philip Philips, who has ministered to countless airport employees and travelers for 27 years at Pearson. Over the years, he has helped establish airport chapels across Canada.

"I realized that the airport could be a place where travelers and employees could have their spiritual needs met without necessarily going to a church building," he says. "Throughout the years GTAA has been remarkable at realizing the needs of those people who pass through and work here."