Although the cross on Mount Royal turned purple for one night, the city is not keeping it purple till the election of a new Pope. But this piece suggests that no clear decision or official announcement was made about this change in the tradition.
This item cites a “site web externe consacré au site patrimonial du Mont-Royal” – not naming it directly – which claims the cross turns purple “pour souligner la mort d’un pape ou d’un roi.” It wasn’t turned purple for Queen Elizabeth, but the difference there is that there isn’t an interregnum: the moment the monarch dies, the next in line automatically becomes the monarch – no conclave needed.
The Journal gets in an anti-woke dig in the deck: “Le souci de ne pas heurter la sensibilité des non‑catholiques et des non-croyants explique la décision de la Ville.” But since no official announcement was made, how can they know that?
Joey 13:26 on 2025-04-27 Permalink
Doesn’t the coronation occur after the funeral? There’s no formal interregnum? Anyway, the cross looked a little purple last night but it was foggy and humid so who knows. I say they make it extra purple when a Pope dies but super rainbow during Pride. Seriously, this Quebec-specific nonsense about religious symbols like the names of schools or the crosses that adorn the walls of our CHSLDs only becoming “religious” in certain ridiculous circumstances needs to end. The idea that the cross on the mountain shifts from a “heritage” symbol to a religious one only when the colour changes following a papal death is so absurd as to be an insult to the intelligence of all Montrealers. As a Jew, I say, make it purple!
Kate 14:25 on 2025-04-27 Permalink
The saying is “The Queen is dead, long live the King” because he’s king right away. There’s no interregnum. The king doesn’t need a coronation to make him king, it just confirms and celebrates it.
Mid 20th century, Edward VIII was king after the death of George V, but he never even had a coronation. He abdicated before they got that far.
walkerp 20:03 on 2025-04-27 Permalink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkkIwO_X4i4
jeather 21:24 on 2025-04-27 Permalink
I truly do not care about the cross on the mountain, or whether it changes colour.
Kate 21:40 on 2025-04-27 Permalink
I find it a local curiosity, and now it turns out there are no actual rules. I admit it isn’t a major story.
Ian 07:45 on 2025-04-28 Permalink
I wish they would turn the lights on and off in sequence like a marquee, as a nod to the more gaudy and maybe even a little louche side of Montreal.
CE 07:54 on 2025-04-28 Permalink
I think they should put an M on one side and an L on the other.
jeather 09:54 on 2025-04-28 Permalink
Oh I didn’t mean it in response to your story, I meant in response to this: “Le souci de ne pas heurter la sensibilité des non‑catholiques et des non-croyants explique la décision de la Ville.” I appreciate the post.