Saint Joseph's Oratory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Joseph's Oratory |
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Oratoire Saint-Joseph
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Archdiocese of Montreal |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Minor basilica |
| Leadership | Michael Delaney, C.S.C. |
| Location | |
| Location | 3800, chemin Queen Mary Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
 Location in Montreal
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Dalbé Viau, Alphonse Venne, Lucien Parent and Dom Paul Bellot |
| Architectural type | Oratory, domed basilica |
| Architectural style | Italian renaissance |
| Completed | 1967 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | NNW |
| Capacity | 10,000 / 2,400 sitting |
| Length | 105 metres (344 ft) |
| Width | 65 metres (213 ft) |
| Width (nave) | 37 metres (121 ft) |
| Height (max) | 102 metres (335 ft) |
| Dome(s) | 1 (double shell design) |
| Dome height (outer) | 97 metres (318 ft) (from nave floor) |
| Dome height (inner) | 60 metres (200 ft) (from nave floor) |
| Dome dia. (outer) | 39 metres (128 ft) |
| Dome dia. (inner) | 26 metres (85 ft) |
| Materials | Canadian granite, copper |
| Official name: Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated | 2004 |
Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal (in French: Oratoire Saint-Joseph-du-Mont-Royal) is a very large Roman Catholic church in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located on Mount Royal and is one of Canada's biggest churches. It also has one of the largest church domes in the world!
This amazing building was started in 1904 by Saint André Bessette. He wanted to honor his patron saint, Saint Joseph. Many architects and thousands of workers helped build it over sixty years. The Oratory is famous for its huge size and beautiful design. It attracts more than 2 million visitors and pilgrims every year.
The Oratory is the tallest building in Montreal. It stands over 30 meters higher than Mount Royal's peak. This means you can see it from far away. It is one of the few buildings allowed to be taller than Mount Royal.
Since 2018, the dome and the top part of the Oratory have been getting a makeover. This project will finish in 2024. It will create a safe way to reach the very top. From there, you will get an amazing 360-degree view of the city!
Contents
History of Saint Joseph's Oratory
How the Oratory Began
Saint André Bessette (1845-1937) was a monk. People knew him as Brother André. He was famous for helping sick people. In 1904, he received money to build a small chapel on Mount Royal. This chapel was a place for him to work.
The first chapel was small, only 4.5 meters by 5.5 meters. But Brother André became very famous. So, the chapel grew four times bigger in ten years. The church leaders then decided to build a much larger church. Brother André wanted it to honor Saint Joseph. The original small chapel still exists today. It was moved to make space for the huge church we see now.
The first part of the big church was built by architects Dalbé Viau and Alphonse Venne. From 1914 to 1916, they built the crypt church. This part is at the bottom of the basilica. It can seat 1000 people. Between 1924 and 1927, the crypt and the main building up to the roof were finished. Viau and Venne wanted the dome to look like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. But their plans stopped because of the Great Depression.
Building the Big Dome
In 1937, Dom Paul Bellot took over the project. He was from France. He redesigned the roof and dome completely. He made the dome much larger. He wanted it to look like the dome of Florence Cathedral. The building of this huge dome took four years. It was finished in 1941. Thousands of workers helped build it.
From 1949 to 1951, architect Gilbert Moreau made changes inside the Oratory. He also improved the nearby monastery.
Recent Events
On October 19, 2004, the Oratory celebrated its 100th birthday. All the church bells in Montreal were supposed to ring. The basilica rang its own bell to celebrate. That same year, Canada Post made a special stamp for the Oratory. Also, the Oratory was named a National Historic Site of Canada.
On March 22, 2019, an event happened during a morning mass. A man entered the Oratory and hurt the priest, Father Claude Grou. Other people quickly helped the priest. Security guards and police arrived. The priest had only minor injuries. He later said, "My health is fine. I’ll take a little rest and I will be back to work. And the Oratory will remain a place where people can be welcomed. A place of prayers, and a place of calm, and a place of peace."
Today, the basilica holds a special statue of Saint Joseph. This statue is in the oil-burning chapel. It was blessed by Pope Pius X in 1910. The same statue was blessed again in 1955 by Pope Pius XII.
Architecture and Design
When the Oratory was built, many architects were trying new styles. Saint Joseph's Oratory was designed with a mix of styles. Its outside looks like Renaissance Revival buildings. Its inside has an Art Deco style. The basilica has several parts. These include the Crypt Church, the Votive Chapel, the main Shrine, and the huge dome. The dome is the largest church dome in Canada. It is the third largest in the world.
During the summer, the setting sun lines up perfectly with the main steps of the basilica. People often sit on the steps to watch this beautiful sunset. The main aisle inside the church also lines up with the setting sun on the longest day of the year.
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse happened. Many people gathered on the steps of the Oratory to watch it. The sky was partly cloudy, but people could still see the amazing diamond ring effect and the sun's corona. Everyone cheered when the eclipse reached its fullest point.
Crypt Church
The Crypt Church was the first part built. It is underneath the main basilica. It measures about 63 meters long, 36 meters wide, and 13 meters high. It can seat 1000 people. Its ceiling has strong, curved arches. It is called a "crypt" because it is built into the mountain. A beautiful statue of Joseph, made of white marble, is behind the main altar. Eight stained glass windows show scenes from Saint Joseph's life.
Votive Chapel
The Votive Chapel was added between 1946 and 1949. It is between the Crypt Church and the mountain rock. It has an Art Deco style with many geometric shapes. The chapel is about 31 meters long, 15 meters wide, and 27 meters high. It holds about 10,000 candles. A large lampstand in front of the Saint Joseph statue holds 3500 candles.
This chapel is also called "the Chapel of Ex-votos." It has almost 1000 items like canes and crutches hanging in it. These were left by pilgrims who visited Brother André. They believed he helped them heal. The chapel also has eight stone carvings that show different qualities of Saint Joseph. Brother André's tomb, made of black marble, is in this chapel.
The Main Shrine
The inside of the main basilica is called the Shrine. It has a cross shape with the dome in the middle. The whole interior is about 105 meters long. The main seating area, called the nave, is 37 meters wide. It can seat 2028 people, but up to 10,000 people can fit inside. The transept, the arms of the cross shape, is 65 meters wide. It connects to Brother André's shrine.
The back part of the church, called the apse, and the rest of the interior are in the Art Deco style. This style was very popular in Montreal in the 1930s. The interior has sculptures, carvings, mosaics, and stained glass with religious images. The roof is held up by strong, multi-angled arches. These are a special part of Dom Bellot’s design.
The outside of the Oratory is made of large blocks of granite. These stones came from quarries in Quebec. The front of the building has four huge columns. They are 18 meters tall and 1.5 meters thick. These columns support the front entrance. The staircase leading up to the basilica is very impressive. It has two sets of 283 concrete steps. In the middle, there is a special set of 99 wooden steps. These are for pilgrims who wish to climb on their knees.
The Giant Dome
The dome of Saint Joseph’s Oratory is the largest church dome in Canada. It is also one of the tallest domes in the world. This is thanks to Dom Bellot’s amazing design. His plans for the dome are like those of Florence Cathedral. It has a "double shell" design. This means it has two domes, one inside and one outside, with empty space between them.
The outer dome is only about 17.78 centimeters thick. The inner dome is even thinner, about 12.7 centimeters thick. This is much thinner than the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. In fact, the concrete shell of the Oratory's dome is so thin compared to its size, it's like an eggshell!
The two domes are different in size. The outer dome is 39 meters wide and rises 97 meters from the church floor. The inner dome is 26 meters wide and rises 60 meters from the floor. Sixteen strong supports inside the walls help hold up the dome. They make the walls for both domes very strong.
Modern Updates
In 2018, plans were made to update the inside of the dome and its observatory. This project is expected to cost around $80 million CAD. It will also include a full update of the building's museum. A new welcome center will be built on Queen Mary Road. The very top of the Oratory will have space for up to 17 visitors. It will offer the only 360-degree view over the mountain in the city. As of early 2024, these renovations are still happening.
See also
In Spanish: Oratorio de San José para niños
- List of basilicas in Canada
- List of carillons in Canada
- List of tallest domes
