The Congregation of Holy Cross, which Brother André joined, built the oratory after he was given funding in 1904. Dalbé Viau and Alphonse Venne designed the first phase, and the crypt church was built from 1914 to 1916. Dom Paul Bellot was hired in 1937 after Venne's death and redesigned the roof and dome, which was completed in 1941. The infobox gives 1967 as the completion date. The exterior is Renaissance Revival, the interior Art Deco, in large granite blocks from the Lac Mégantic quarries.
The building is 345 feet (105 m) long and 335 feet (102 m) high. The outer dome is 128 feet (39 m) across. The front staircase has 283 concrete steps and a central flight of 99 wooden steps for pilgrims climbing on their knees.
It is a national shrine and a National Historic Site of Canada since 2004. A dome renovation ran from 2018 to 2024.
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