Built on the crest of Mount Royal (this century!?), the basilica is one of the grandest I've ever been in. And I've seen every church going in Western Europe. Just read online that the dome is the 3rd largest in all the world.
Legendary healer priest, Father Andre, seems to have been the premier fundraiser of the 20th century. He started with a tiny chapel and, after restoring thousands of sick believers to health (in the name of God, of course), he had the means to build with opulence of the sort that I only associate with Catholicsm.
We had to line up for a view of Father Andre's preserved heart in a fancy jar, something that both horrified and thrilled M. We had to wait for her to look at it 4 times... She also lit a candle in the special candle hall in memory of our dog, who died when she was three.
After a while, we left the church for my kind of religious experience - a trip along the summit of the Mountain in what I consider to be the world's best neighbourhood - Westmount. Every Canadian playah has a home here. Some manses are ludicrously close to the road (like peer in the windows close. Don't judge, you'd do it too...). Others are decked out in so many security systems you'd think the President lived there. Actually, most ex-Prime Ministers do live there.
This hood comes with the kind of view I lust over. I am mystified by its complicated-meets-utterly-simple beauty. Really, more than any cathedral, it is proof of the existence of God. (Note - more shots of the view to follow in another post...)
The Church:
Lovely view of the parking lot (and us, and the seminary behind us).
The centre staircase is for worshippers, who pray on their knees at each step.
Someday, this kid's going to look back and wished she'd occasionally combed her hair. Good thing she's cute anyway.
Yes, it really looks like this - in every freakin' direction!
These peeps are going for the Casa Loma look.
Look, rich people - they have kids who play basketball in the driveway! They're just like us!
Posts
