The Aura of Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal: A Review & Reflection

Can technology be harmoniously intertwined with the sacred, bridging the earthly and the divine? Does it draw us closer or further away from the presence of the Holy Ghost? These questions popped into my head as the resonant beats of instrumental music streamed during the Aura show of Notre Dame of Montreal, igniting thousands of dazzling lights inside the Basilica. 

My heart beat faster, my eyes widened, as I absorbed the breathtaking imagery unfolding before me. But what is the Aura show anyway, and what is its purpose? 

The Aura of Notre Dame combines thousands of dynamic LED lights projected onto various artifacts in the Basilica’s interior, dancing to the powerful melodies. In effect, the walls and the ceiling dissolve and transform into various visions and works of art. Statues of saints flicker in and out of view as the lights are strategically lit up and fade away. It is a mesmerizing, immersive experience that leaves a profound impression.

I particularly loved the following two scenes:

First, the changing of seasons, as seen through the transformation of the Basilica’s ceiling into a blue summer sky. As the music shifted, autumn trees sprang along the facade, covering the “sky” with their falling, golden leaves. There is no way around it, I thought, the fall will arrive in just two months, while the summer has only just begun. I felt powerless, in that moment, before the forces of nature. Was this the intent of the Aura of Notre Dame? For is this not a reflection of something Divine?

Then suddenly, the sky darkened into a winter storm, and I saw the rest of 2025 unfold before me all the way to Christmas time. How predictably this year should progress, I thought, and how I truly hope it will! 

With no time for further contemplation of life, the seasons bloomed into a gentle rebirth of spring, a visual and auditory relief after the intense winter storms. A complete 3D experience, although may I say 4D? The fourth dimension–the sacred–reminded me that change is inevitable. Aging is inevitable. And so is death. For what is holiness if it is within our reach and control? Perhaps it is precisely in acknowledging that some things are beyond us that we can call sacred and spiritual. 

The second unforgettable moment was when the ceiling “opened up” to the sky, illuminating a light so bright, one could not mistake it for anything other than divine descent. A glimpse of Judgement Day? If you have ever pondered what it would look like, ponder no more. You had to simply immerse yourself in this glorious scenery and … kneel. 

That’s when my inner critic crept in. This is not real–it’s an illusion. And as such, is it appropriate to use technology to employ such means within the sacred space? 

To answer this, I stepped outside of my logical, critical thinking and simply felt. And, it felt right. For it was this music/light spectacle that lured me deeper into the Basilica, keeping me seated and grounded for some fourty-five minutes, contemplating God, humanity, life, and the universe. 

I don’t think I otherwise would have. 

No, not for fourty-five minutes.

The show itself is only about twenty minutes long, but visitors are invited to come in early to walk around and observe the intricate details of the facade, paintings, and sculptures.

And, perhaps, to remember Jesus’ journey and his great cause, to contemplate our distance or proximity to God. To remember that we are all mortal and our days here on earth are limited, and to question what comes after.

As the Aura journey ended, to my own disbelief, or perhaps because I’ve never thought about it before, I concluded that, yes, technology in this case, served as a modern vessel, bringing us closer to the spirituality and divine connection. This choice is in our hearts.