Lentorama 2012: Know Your Diocese


Day 26: Archdiocese of Montreal


I chose this not so much for its history - as you'd expect, it was formed in colonial times and was mostly staffed by Frenchmen until suitable Quebecois could take over - but for a story.

I wound up visiting Montreal in 1998 with friends, and we stopped in to take a look at the Basilica of Notre Dame, which is pretty impressive and worth a look if you're into that sort of thing or just need to get out of the sun. Anyway, the tour guide was talking about how most of the sacraments take place in one of the chapels, while the basilica itself is reserved for state occasions and the like. To demonstrate this, she named the one person who was important enough to get married in the basilica in recent times: Celine Dion.

I can't remember if we held our laughter until we left or not. I'd like to think we did.