Rome, Italy The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is one of the great churches of Rome. Home to an assortment of relics related to the Crucifixion of Jesus, it was historically and ironically the least important of the city’s traditional pilgrimage churches. Nevertheless it is one of the seven recognized pilgrimage churches of Rome, despite the fact that it is neither … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2015
OUR LADY OF LEBANON
Harissa, Lebanon In a region completed dominated by non-Christians, the Statue and Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon stand as a defiant reminder of Lebanon’s Catholic history. Outside of Israel and Palestine, it is probably the most popular Christian shrine between Europe and India. It is also one of the most visually stunning Christian sites in the Middle East. In addition … [Read more...]
RUINS OF ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
Macau, China Although the Catholic Church did not penetrate very far into China, or northeast Asia in general, it did gain a strong foothold in the Portuguese territory of Macau, the first and last European colony in China. Its principal church, the Cathedral of St. Paul, was established by Jesuit Missionaries, and for many years was the largest Christian edifice in the Far … [Read more...]
SANCTUARY OF LAS LAJAS
Narino, Colombia There are hundreds of churches and cathedrals around the world that could viably compete for the title of most beautiful, or most awe-inspiring, and many of these appear on this list. However, when it comes to spectacular settings, almost none can compare with Colombia’s Sanctuary of Las Lajas. Clinging to the verdant side of a multi-bridge spanned gorge, … [Read more...]
ABBEY OF MELK
Melk, Austria Throughout the Middle Ages in the west, monastaries, more than any other institution, were the great repositories of knowledge and learning. Across Christian Europe, monks devoted their lives to the preservation and dissemination of knowledge, creating the forerunners of universities and maintaining great libraries. Few were greater, or more famous, than the … [Read more...]
APOSTOLIC PALACE
Vatican City Although the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican is just one of three official residences of the Pope, it is the one which most pilgrims to Rome are familiar with. Adjacent to St. Peter’s Basilica, it is one of Europe’s most magnificent residences, on par with Buckingham Palace in London or the Royal Palace of Madrid. It is also the world’s single greatest … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF KISANTU
Kisantu, East Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the largest Catholic population in Africa and the tenth largest Catholic population in the world. It is one of the most important, and most stable, institutions in an otherwise very chaotic region. It is the primary conduit of health and education services to a people largely ignored by their government, and Church … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE DAME DE QUEBEC
Quebec City, Canada The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Quebec was one of the first churches in Canada and the first major church of any denomination in non-Latin North America. It is home to the oldest Christian parish in the New World outside of Latin America, and was the first cathedral in North America to be designated as a full basilica by the Roman Catholic Church. Although … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF THE BLACK NAZARENE
Manila, Philippines When it comes to Catholic Icon Shrines, few countries top the Philippines. With nearly two dozen designated shrines dedicated to the Virgin Mary alone, the Philippines boasts the most home-grown Icon sites of any nation outside of Europe. Half of these are considered major shrines, where miraculous events are said to have occurred, the highest number for … [Read more...]
TWENTY-SIX MARTYRS MONUMENT
Nagasaki, Japan As the influence of European colonial powers spread across the globe from the 16th century onwards, few places outside of the Middle East were not exposed to Christianity. Christianity expanded greatly into almost every major country, with the sole major exception of Japan. However, it is not as though early missionaries didn’t try. When the Catholic Church … [Read more...]
