The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, is the largest Roman Catholic church in North America and is among the ten largest churches in the world. Designated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a National Sanctuary of Prayer and Pilgrimage, the Basilica is our nation’s preeminent Marian shrine, dedicated to the patroness of the United States, the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception.
The Trinity Dome is the central and largest dome of the National Shrine. The mosaic that will adorn the dome will depict The Most Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a procession of saints, all of whom have an association with the United States and the National Shrine. Through your participation in this project you become part of the fabric of Mary’s Shrine and help bring to completion your church: The Basilica of The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception exists today because of the generosity of American Catholics, the prayers of the faithful, and the hard work of the artisans and laborers who built it. This work, which began nearly 100 years ago by our ancestors, reflects the diversity of cultures and ethnicities represented throughout the United States, while also exemplifying the unity and universality of the Catholic Church in America. This is why the Basilica is affectionately referred to as America’s Catholic Church.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, is the largest Roman Catholic church in North America and is among the ten largest churches in the world. Designated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a National Sanctuary of Prayer and Pilgrimage, the National Shrine is our nation’s preeminent Marian shrine, dedicated to the patroness of the United States, the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception. This patronal church is home to over 80 chapels and oratories that honor the Mother of God and represent the peoples, cultures, and traditions that are the fabric of the Catholic faith and mosaic of our nation. Nearly a century in the making, this great Marian shrine, affectionately referred to as America’s Catholic Church, has been a work in progress since the laying of its foundation stone in 1920. Now, as its one hundredth anniversary approaches, a monumental effort is underway to complete this “Hymn in Stone” as envisioned by its founder, Bishop Thomas J. Shahan, with the mosaic ornamentation of the Trinity Dome, its “Crowning Jewel.”
The Trinity Dome The Basilica's Crowning Jewel
Trinity Dome Mosaic Rendering
The Trinity Dome is the central and largest dome of the National Shrine. This “Crowning Jewel” will be adorned in mosaic according to the original iconographic scheme of the Great Upper Church and will depict the Most Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Immaculate Conception, and a procession of saints who have an association with the United States and the National Shrine. The procession of saints includes, among others, St. Juan Diego (the first canonized male Native American), St. Kateri Tekakwitha (the first canonized female Native American), St. Teresa of Calcutta (an honorary American citizen), St. Francis Cabrini, M.S.C. (the first U.S. citizen to be canonized), St. John Paul II (the first pope to visit the National Shrine), and St. Junípero Serra (declared a saint by Pope Francis at the National Shrine in 2015 for the first canonization ever to take place on American soil). The Nicene Creed will encircle the base of the dome, while the dome’s four pendentives will feature the four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
During his visit to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on September 23, 2015, Pope Francis blessed the preliminary segment of mosaic created for the Trinity Dome containing the words of the beginning and end of the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God.” “Amen.”
Our Heritage
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception exists today because of the generosity of American Catholics, the prayers of the faithful, and the hard work of the artisans and laborers who built it. This work, which began nearly 100 years ago by our ancestors, is an authentic reflection of the diversity of cultures and ethnicities represented throughout the United States. The National Shrine truly exemplifies the universality of the American Catholic Church while echoing its unity and inclusiveness. The many chapels and oratories personify the cultural diversity of the United States and embrace our common Catholic faith – in particular, a devotion to the Blessed Mother under the title of Immaculate Conception.
St. Pope John Paul II
This recurring theme of American Catholic heritage is manifested in the more than 80 unique chapels and oratories throughout the Basilica, all of which feature cultural representations of Our Lady from every corner of the globe and represent the history of the multi-ethnic communities that comprise the universal Church. Among the many nationalities enshrined in the chapels are African, Austrian, Chinese, Cuban, Czech, Filipino, French, German, Guamanian, Hungarian, Indian, Irish, Italian, Korean, Latin American, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovak, Slovenian, and Vietnamese.
Every stone and artistic nuance of the Basilica proclaims our nation’s relationship with Mary, a spiritual bond formalized in 1847 when Pope Pius IX proclaimed Mary as “Patroness of the United States” under her title of the Immaculate Conception.
Pope John Paul II, the first reigning Pope to visit the National Shrine, beautifully proclaimed the magnitude of the cultural and ethnic heritage embodied in America’s Catholic Church during his visit:
“This Shrine speaks to us with the voice of all America, with the voice of all the sons and daughters of America, who have come here from the various countries of the Old World. When they came, they brought with them in their hearts the same love for the Mother of God that was characteristic of their ancestors and of themselves in their native lands. These people, speaking different languages, coming from different backgrounds of history and traditions in their own countries, came together around the heart of a Mother they all had in common. While their faith in Christ made all of them aware of being one People of God, this awareness became all the more vivid through the presence of the Mother in the work of Christ and the Church.” – October 7, 1979
Pope Benedict XVI
The National Shrine conveys a remarkable story of the faith, devotion, struggles and triumphs of our nation’s immigrant heritage and tells the story of the Catholic Church’s emergence and evolution in this country, especially of the many hard-working men and women who, through much sacrifice, laid the foundations of their communities and ensured the expansion of the faith in the United States. Pope Benedict XVI summed it up well:
“…I commend the Church in your country most particularly to the maternal care and intercession of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the United States. May she who carried within her womb the hope of all nations intercede for the people of this country, so that all may be made new in Jesus Christ her Son.” – April 16, 2008
A century in the making, Mary’s Shrine embodies the faith and heritage of generations of American Catholics who came before, and still offers the faithful of today and tomorrow the opportunity to be a part of this living legacy.
Pope Francis blessing a piece of the Trinity Dome Mosaic
On his historic visit to the National Shrine, Pope Francis blessed the preliminary segment of mosaic for the Trinity Dome, which, once ornamented, will be the crowning jewel of America’s Catholic Church. The entire mosaic will feature the Most Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception, a procession of saints, and the four evangelists, encircled by the Nicene Creed. Blessing the piece of mosaic containing the first and last words of the Nicene Creed, Pope Francis prayed:
“As your faithful people look upon these images and of our Profession of Faith, may they come to share in the fullness of Life you promise to those who are faithful.” – September 23, 2015
Help Us Finish the Trinity Dome Honoring the Legacy of the Basilica
Stay Up To Date
Share your email address with us and receive regular updates about the mosaic installation as the work unfolds over the coming months.
Donate
Your donation will support the installation of the mosaic ornamentation that will adorn the Trinity Dome, the Crowning Jewel of Mary's Shrine.
