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Home > Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

 Contents
1 Patroness of the United States
2 Establishment
3 Cornerstone and Construction
4 External links
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the patronal church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. An important Marian shrine that took over a century to build to its present state, it receives millions of pilgrims from around the country and the world each year. It is located at 400 Michigan Avenue in northeastern Washington, DC on land donated by Catholic University of America. Construction continues today. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places.

Contrary to popular belief, the Basilica is not the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Washington . While the basilica is the mother church of the United States, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle serves as mother church of the archdiocese.

1 Patroness of the United States

In 1792, John Carroll the first American Roman Catholic bishop consecrated the newly created American nation under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of Immaculate Conception. In 1847, Pope Pius IX formalized Bishop Carroll's acclamation as the pope himself officially proclaimed the Immaculate Conception as patroness of the United States. In subsequent years, a few priests imagined an elaborate shrine in honor of their country's patroness.

2 Establishment


Thomas J. Shahan , bishop and fourth rector of the Catholic University of America proposed the construction of a national shrine to commemorate the Immaculate Conception in the country's capital. Bishop Shahan took his appeal to Pope Pius X on August 15, 19131913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. click on link for calendar) Events January-March January 30 House of Lords rejects Irish Home Rule Bill February 1 New York City's Grand Central Station opens as the world's largest train station. February 3 Th. Bishop Shahan received the pope's enthusiastic support and made a personal contribution of USD $400. Bishop Shahan returned to the United States and persuaded the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America to donate land at the southwest corner of the campus for his shrine.

In January 1914Events January 4 77 seal hunters freeze to death on ice near Labrador January 5 Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and a minimum wage of $5 for a day's labor February 13 Copyright: In New York City the ASCAP (for American Society of Compos, Bishop Shahan published the first issue of Salve Regina, a newsletter meant to stir enthusiasm for his project. He wrote that the shrine would be a "monument of love and gratitude, a great hymn in stone as perfect as the art of man can make it and as holy as the intentions of its builders could wish it to be." His newsletter was circulated to dioceses throughout the country and financial donations began to pour into Washington, DC. In 1915Events January 12 The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of Congress. January 12 United States House of Representatives rejects proposal to give women the right to vote. January 13 An earthquake (6. 8 in Richter scale) in Avezzano, Ital, Father Bernard McKenna of Philadelphia was appointed by Bishop Shahan as first director of the national shrine, bringing the bishop's dream one step closer to reality. Bishop Shahan would oversee the construction of the shrine till his death on March 9March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). There are 297 days remaining. Events 1841 The Supreme Court of the United States rules in the Amistad case that the Africans who seized control of the ship had been taken, 19321932 is the leap year starting on Friday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 3 British arrest and intern Mohandas Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel January 8 In Britain the Archbishop of Canterbury forbids church remarriage of divorcees Jan. His body would be the only one interred at the national shrine.



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