Off the beaten path, but worth the visit!

A visit to The Basilica of The National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception.

My sister-in-law and niece were here a few weeks ago for a visit. We visited the National Shrine for Sunday Mass, what a treat. I love this place, it is so incredibly beautiful. All of the church history depicted in the mosaics are wonderful lessons for the big kiddos, and they really keep Bubby busy during mass.

The creation story with Adam and Eve are his favorite. I know it is a little hard to see, but if you look closely you can see the animals all around them. He enjoys finding the giraffe, the fish, and the snake is always a favorite.

Below are just some random shots of the various mosaics. Aren't they amazing?

The depiction of Pentecost was the final mosaic in a series that portrayed the various stages of the Passion of Christ.

There are many small chapels throughout the shrine, this one was donated by the Hope family in memory of their daughter. The art work for this chapel is completely different. It is like pieces of sculpture that are floating. Very beautiful.

Left: Princess taking a moment for prayer.

Right: Princess and her cousin standing next to the statue of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. (She is a Native American saint. Google her, her story is very interesting)

The National Shrine is located in the NE portion of Washington, DC, and is a little off the beaten path. Most of the tourist head to the National Cathedral when they are visiting DC, which is also very beautiful. However, I would highly recommend a visit to the Shrine.