The Cross that Watches Over All

Residing in the foothills of Mount Royal, we can always seen the illuminated cross that stands on the east plateau. This shining beacon is not only a symbolic figure for students to find their way home at night, but it commands some of the greatest traditions of this city. An original cross was first erected in 1643 by the founder of the city, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneueve, as part of a prayer to end a detrimental flood in order to save the city. Since that historic day, a cross has stood atop Mount Royal to remind us all of the rich history that this great land represents. Not only until 1924 did the cross begin to glow, as a newer version was constructed by the Societe Saint-Jean Baptiste. Today, with several rounds of improvement, the cross glows white, however it possess the ability to give off radiant colours depending on certain events. For example, the cross will be controlled to glow purple for the days in between the death of the previous Pope and the election of the new Pope. Furthermore, you may see the cross resonate in red to promote AIDS awareness or blue to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. So next time you have to use the cross as a compass to find your way home, remember Chomedey de Maisonneueve who helped the city through one of its earliest conquests.