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Montreal Canadiens fans paying Catholic diocese to light virtual votive candles

Canadiens candles

When they say that hockey is a religion in Canada, it's not entirely hyperbole.

There is the praying and the cursing. There are those who call on the Lord for an overtime goal and those who use His name in vain with that goal fails to materialize.

And then there is the act of fandom itself. The ardent support, the willful following of a team – the jersey and logo, really – based almost entirely on faith and tradition.

And that's just in those cities that saw their teams fall short of the playoffs. In Montreal, cheering for the Canadiens is truly a religious experience.

Which is why it is not all that surprising that the Catholic Church of Montreal has jumped so heavily onto the bandwagon, even creating an online mosaic where Canadiens fans can light virtual votive candles in support of their home team.

More than 740 candles have been lit and posted to www.laflammedesseries.com, where supporters are urged to, "Cheer for the Habs by lighting a candle."

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The site is hosted by the Catholic Church as a fundraising campaign. A donation of $1 is required to light a virtual candle, the proceeds of which go to the Church of Montreal's annual collection.

An explanation posted to the site explains: "In the Catholic tradition, light is a symbol of hope. And because Habs fans also have faith in their team during the playoffs, we decided to connect the two types of faith that most enliven Quebecers."

But the campaign has reached well outside of Quebec. Habs support spans the entire country, and fans from British Columbia to Nova Scotia have lit candles and posted supportive messages.

"Play your best always and we will be proud of you. God bless the Habs," wrote Paul Young from Hants Border, N.S. Chip from Calgary lit a candle "In Memory of Jacques Plante and the 'Rocket' (Maurice Richard)."

Adds Rose Foster, from Greenfield Park, Que.: "May we see great hockey, no needless nonsense, no injuries for ANY team & the cup back in Montreal!!! Go Habs Go!!"

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Clearly, something is working. The Canadiens are beating the Tampa Bay Lightning three games to none in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with a chance to finish the series in Montreal tonight.

Then again, as the National Post notes, the campaign does cause a bit of theological confusion.

"Either the church is serious, and wants people to believe that prayer can affect the outcome of sporting event, or it is playful, which presents a problem to those who light real candles seeking divine help," writes Graeme Hamilton.

But when it comes to hockey, especially in Montreal, where the Catholic Church and the Montreal Canadiens have been cultural flagpoles for more than a century, those grander questions can and have been glossed over in the name of fandom.

The Canadiens' jersey is frequently called "the Holy Flannel." The sharp work of Habs goalie Carey Price at the Olympics led Canadians, including backup Roberto Luongo, to exclaim, "Jesus Price!"

And last month, when the Habs were fighting for a playoff spot, the Archdiocese of Montreal posted newspaper advertisements that listed the playoff-bound teams with a note that said "Let us pray" to mark a place for the Canadiens.

For the Catholic Church, praying for the Habs is all reward and no risk. If the Canadiens keep winning, donations will keep coming in. But if they lose, well, it’s not like anyone thought lighting a virtual candle would actually help.

As the website says, in response to a question about whether lighting a candle will actually help the team win: “Not necessarily, but if you truly believe in it, who knows?”

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