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| - Location: On Queen Mary, east of Décarie Boulevard. The closest subway stops are Côte-des-Neiges (Orange) and Snowdown (Blue).
The Place: Even if you're not religious, this is still worth a visit. Situated at the top of Mount Royal, you can see the dome from a distance on a sunny day - but when you're actually AT the Oratory, the view of the city from the lookout is spectacular. Architecturally, this is a beautiful place. The church itself is nothing special to look at compared to Notre-Dame or some of the churches I saw in Italy, but the energetic pull of the place is something else. You will see many a devout person attending mass here, lighting candles for a loved one or, more importantly, making their pilgrimage to the oratory, from the bottom of the parking lot, up the stairs, on their knees. No, I'm not kidding. St. Joseph's Oratory was home to the now famous Frère André, who was known to heal the crippled, the paralyzed - you name it. You will find walls filled with crutches inside the church, as a testament to all those he healed. You can also visit his teeny tiny home, and see the sacred room where his heart is kept. No, I'm not kidding.
Additional info: They have a large gift shop for those who want to buy rosaries and other religious goods, including holy water.
Price point: I personally don't remember ever having to pay to access the oratory.
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