National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC was conceived by Bishop Thomas J. Shahan in the early 1900's. In 1920, the cornerstone was laid, and in 1926, the Crypt Church, in the lower level was completed. Because of the depression and World War II, work on the upper level of the Shrine was halted, and not revived until the 1950s. Finally, in 1959, the Great Upper Church was dedicated.

The Crypt Church is designed to remind the worshipper of the Catacombs of early Christian history, and the effect is quite striking. It appears to be a small, intimate place, although it is 200 feet long, 160 feet wide, and seats more than 400 people. The ceiling, which supports the floor and main altar of the Upper Church, was built by the Guastavino company, and was built to sustain a weight of nearly one millian pounds. It is faced with Guastavino tile, and is decorated with ceramic tile inlay designed by Mary Chase Perry Straton, from the Pewabic Pottery of Detroit, Michigan. The ceiling is decorated with numerous ceramic medallions depicting God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The stations of the cross located around the sides of the Crypt Church are incredible examples of Pewabic's amazing lustre tile work. The tiles on the undersides of the arches are covered with symbols from the datacombs of ancient Rome.

The Great Upper Church is filled with numerous massive mosaics. The central mosaic of Christ in Majesty is the largest mosaic of Christ in the world, done in tinted glass tesserae. It was executed in 1959 by Jan Henryk De Rosen, one of the foremost mosaic artists in the world at that time.

The exterior of the Great Crossing Dome of the National Shrine has traditional symbols of Mary done in polychrome tile. This dome was the last one completed by the Guastavino tile company, before the business was ended in the 1950s.

The Shrine is located at Fourth Street and Michigan Avenue, Northeast, Washington, DC. The Church is open from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm April 1 - October 31, and 7:00 am until 6:00 pm November 1 - March 31. Masses are celebrated in the Crypt church at 7:00am, 7:30am, 8:00 am, 8:30 am, 12:10 pm, and 5:15pm daily, and at 7:30am and 1:30pm on Sundays, so any visits should be planned to avoid these times.

Visted by Gaye Lindsey (glindsey@worldbank.org).

Station of the Cross,
Pewabic Pottery
Ceiling Medallion of Mary and Her Child,
Pewabic Pottery
Mosaic Over Altar of Crypt Church,
Pewabic Pottery
Side Apse with Mosaics,
Pewabic Pottery
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