National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

On the feast of All Saints, we chose to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the campus of the Catholic University of America. The Shrine is very beautiful. There are hundreds of mosaics, tapestries, and other works of art in the Basilica. There are many smaller chapels throughout the church each dedicated to a different saint.  The Crypt Church, which is on the lower level, is a larger chapel, where occasionally there is a Latin Mass.

It was serendipitous that we visited on November 1. We were able to attend a solemn High Mass with Archbishop Petro Sambi as celebrant and homilist. He is the apostolic nuncio to the United States. In layman's terms, as we understand it, he is the Pope's emissary to our country.  

The Mass was magnificent, including a dozen priests, a full choir accompanied by the Cathedral's massive pipe organ, and an ethnically diverse group of worshippers.