St. Joseph's Oratory

St. Joseph's Oratory

St. Joseph's Oratory is a Roman Catholic minor basilica located on the northern slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is one of the most famous pilgrimage shrines in the world. In 1904, Brother André Bessette of the Congregation of Holy Cross began constructing a small chapel near Notre-Dame College on Mount Royal. Soon, due to increasing numbers of visitors, the space became too small. In 1917, it was expanded into a new church with 1,000 seats, and by 1924, work began on the current basilica, which was completed in 1967.

The dome of St. Joseph's Oratory is the third-largest in the world, standing 97 meters high—second only to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It is also the largest church in Canada. The basilica is dedicated to St. Joseph, who is said to have healed the sick free of charge. Many of the visitors at the time arrived on crutches and left them behind after being cured. To honor him, these crutches were collected, and a wall inside the oratory displays thousands of crutches from people allegedly healed there. A sealed glass reliquary in the church houses the heart of Brother André, symbolizing his pure and selfless heart. Over two million visitors and pilgrims come to St. Joseph's Oratory each year.

Saint Joseph's Oratory

Reason to visit: The largest church in Canada

Continent: North America

Country/Region: Canada

Province/State: Quebec

City: Montreal