The National Shrine- March 28th.

The weather continued to be cold and windy, so we sought out another indoor activity.  We headed down into the city to to see the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

 Otherwise known as the largest Catholic Church in America, or the where i'll always remember Aunt Mary Ellen fell and broke her wrist.  (I believe that makes her a martyr for the faith, right?)  We decided to go on a tour, which was a great decision, because there was a lot of ground to be covered and because we got a sweet little old lady who did not take kindly to stragglers or to questions that were asked twice.  In short, she was exactly what my parents remembered nuns to be as kids in Catholic schools.

 I figured the Shrine would just be one huge, awesome church, which it was, but it was also full of over 70 tiny chapels donated and constructed by immigrants from all over the world to the Blessed Mary.  This is for Mary, Queen of Missions.

 The Chapel for Our Lady of La Vang, donated by Vietnamese bishops in honor of the Catholic Martyrs in Vietnam.

 This relief showed the journey of Africans in America from slavery through the present.

 They even had Pope Benedict's signature in the guest book! 

 The Shrine began construction in the mid 19th century.  The basement holds the original church, which they then built upon when the received enough donations.  In the lower hall , the walls are covered in the names of the donors.  We found Knute Rockne's!  

 And as we were walking out, my mom spotted Justin Coressel, a bachelor farmer from the Ridge.  

Officially titled "Holy Family at Rest,"  we called this statue Our Lady of the Newborn Babies who Never Sleep.

 Now to the upstairs.  The middle dome you see is the only unfinished surface left in the Basilica.

 The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

 Our Lady of China. 

 The West Apse house an Italian Byzantyne mosiac of Revelation- or The Woman Clothed by the Sun.

 This mosaic of Christ in Majesty is one of the largest mosaics of Jesus in the world, and I believe it is the largest in the US.

 Here's the ceiling of the chapel to Our Lady of the Rosary.

Finally, here's the mosiac of the Creation.  I could post about 100 more pictures I took and spend a few more hours exploring the Basilica.  Alas, we had to get back home and I insisted we stop at the National Museum of Health and Medicine and take a look at the bullet that killed Lincoln and a few other medical oddities.