A Catholic shrine that is one of Montreal’s most recognizable landmarks is attracting a new kind of pilgrim.
Since last summer, St. Joseph’s Oratory has been struggling to deal with a steady stream of urban explorers—trespassers, often young, looking to scale the cross that sits atop the church’s massive dome.
Adventurers and thrill-seekers have been surreptitiously climbing the dome and other historic structures around Montreal for years. But Céline Barbeau, spokesperson for the oratory, said now people are breaking in almost every weekend, likely drawn to the site by social media posts from other climbers.
“It’s one of the iconic monuments of Montreal,” she said. “The oratory is the highest point in the city. It’s a heritage building that everyone knows. So to climb this dome … and even manage to go up the cross, I think it’s just an act of daring.”…