Saint Joseph’s Oratory

Saint Joseph's Oratory tickets: which one to buy

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal stands on the northern slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, overlooking the Côte-des-Neiges district, and entry to the basilica, the crypt church and the museum is free, although parking is charged and donations are welcome. It is the largest church in Canada and one of the largest shrines dedicated to Saint Joseph in the world, attracting around two million visitors a year. A shuttle and elevators connect the entrance with the basilica, but many pilgrims climb the central steps, some of them on their knees.

The oratory can be reached by metro to Côte-des-Neiges station and a short walk. Visitors often combine the oratory with Mount Royal Park and its lookout over downtown Montreal, the Notre-Dame Basilica in Old Montreal, and the Montreal Botanical Garden. The shrine is active, with daily masses and confessions, and visitors should respect worshippers. A cafeteria, a gift shop and an observatory with views over the west of the city complete the site. Guided tours in English and French explain the history of the shrine and its founder.

Visiting Saint Joseph's Oratory: what to see

The shrine was founded by Brother André Bessette, a humble Holy Cross brother who worked as a doorkeeper at the nearby Notre-Dame College and gained a reputation as a healer, attributing the cures to Saint Joseph. In 1904 he built a small wooden chapel on the mountain, which still stands and can be visited. As pilgrims multiplied, a crypt church was built in 1917, and construction of the huge basilica began in 1924. The basilica's copper dome, one of the largest in the world, was completed in 1937, and the interior was finished in the 1960s in a modern style. Brother André died in 1937, and more than a million people filed past his coffin;

he was canonised as Saint André in 2010. His tomb is in the oratory, and his heart is kept in a reliquary. The Votive Chapel is lined with thousands of candles and with crutches and canes left by pilgrims who believed they had been healed. The basilica's interior is spacious and bright, with a large organ by Rudolf von Beckerath, carved wooden apostles and mosaics. The museum tells the story of Saint André and displays a collection of nativity scenes from around the world. The gardens hold the Stations of the Cross, with sculptures set among trees on the slope of the mountain.

Saint Joseph's Oratory opening hours and the best time to go

The oratory is open daily from early morning to evening, and the basilica has slightly shorter hours. Summer is the busiest season, with tour groups and pilgrims, and the gardens are green. Autumn, when the leaves on Mount Royal change colour, is beautiful. Winters in Montreal are very cold and snowy, but the shrine stays open. The feast of Saint Joseph on 19 March and the feast of Saint André on 6 January bring special celebrations. Organ concerts are held on summer Sundays. Allow about two hours for the basilica, crypt, museum and gardens.