Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery
Encyclopedia
The Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery is located at 14th and Quincy Streets in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C.
It includes gardens, replicas of various shrines
throughout Israel
, a replica of the catacombs
in Rome
, an archive, a library, as well as bones of Saint Benignus of Armagh, brought from the Roman Catacombs and originally in the Cathedral
of Narni
, Italy
.
in 1880, in New York City. It was from this location that Rev. Vassani and Father Godfrey Schilling began to plan to build a "Holy Land in America" and a Holy Sepulchre. They envisioned building on a high hill on Staten Island, overlooking the entrance to New York's harbor. These plans were later dropped. Eventually the plans changed to a wooded hilltop in Brookland, Washington, D.C.
. In 1897, Fr. Godfrey purchased the McCeeney Estate in Brookland in order to found a monastery and church.
The six Brothers lived in the abandoned McCeeney house. After purchasing the site, Fr. Schilling visited the Holy Land and took measurements and photographs of the Holy Sites. In February 1898, ground was broken, and the cornerstone was laid on the Feast of St. Joseph.
Construction of the Holy Shrines, Gardens, and Rosary Portico continued for several years. The Church was consecrated in September 1924, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of its dedication.
In January 1992, Mount St. Sepulchre, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
. It is built in the neo-Byzantine style, resembling Hagia Sophia
in Constantinople. Some Romanesque influences were added to the design.
The Rosary Portico designed by John Joseph Earley
surrounds the church. It contains fifteen chapels depicting the mysteries of the Rosary. Each chapel contains plaques bearing the Hail Mary
in nearly two hundred ancient and modern languages. The Rosary Portico resembles the Cloister of St. John Lateran in Rome and Saint Paul's Outside the Walls
. Various Christian symbols from the Catacombs decorate the facade.
Attached to the Church is the neo-Romanesque Monastery. The Monastery grounds contain replicas of shrines in the Holy Land, a Lourdes grotto
, and a replica of the Porziuncola
.
Many artists and architects have contributed to the development of the site.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
It includes gardens, replicas of various shrines
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
throughout Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, a replica of the catacombs
Catacombs
Catacombs, human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place can be described as a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman empire...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, an archive, a library, as well as bones of Saint Benignus of Armagh, brought from the Roman Catacombs and originally in the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of Narni
Narni
Narni is an ancient hilltown and comune of Umbria, in central Italy, with 20,100 inhabitants, according to the 2003 census. At an altitude of 240 m , it overhangs a narrow gorge of the Nera River in the province of Terni. It is very close to the Geographic center of Italy...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
History
The Very Reverend Charles A. Vassani (1831–1896) established the U.S. Commissariat of the Holy LandCommissariat of the Holy Land
Commissariat of the Holy Land is the term in the Order of Friars Minor the territory or district assigned to a commissary, whose duty it is was to collect alms for the maintenance of the Catholic Holy Places in Palestine/Israel committed to the care of the Friars Minor.The term also designates, in...
in 1880, in New York City. It was from this location that Rev. Vassani and Father Godfrey Schilling began to plan to build a "Holy Land in America" and a Holy Sepulchre. They envisioned building on a high hill on Staten Island, overlooking the entrance to New York's harbor. These plans were later dropped. Eventually the plans changed to a wooded hilltop in Brookland, Washington, D.C.
Brookland, Washington, D.C.
Brookland is a neighborhood in the Northeast quadrant of Washington, D.C., historically centered along 12th Street NE. Brookland is bounded by 9th Street NE to the west, Rhode Island Avenue NE to the south, and South Dakota Avenue to the east...
. In 1897, Fr. Godfrey purchased the McCeeney Estate in Brookland in order to found a monastery and church.
The six Brothers lived in the abandoned McCeeney house. After purchasing the site, Fr. Schilling visited the Holy Land and took measurements and photographs of the Holy Sites. In February 1898, ground was broken, and the cornerstone was laid on the Feast of St. Joseph.
Construction of the Holy Shrines, Gardens, and Rosary Portico continued for several years. The Church was consecrated in September 1924, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of its dedication.
In January 1992, Mount St. Sepulchre, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Architecture
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was designed by the architect Aristide Leonori. The cornerstone was laid in 1898 and construction completed in 1899. The floor plan of the church loosely resembles the fivefold Jerusalem crossJerusalem cross
The Jerusalem cross, also known as Crusaders' cross, is a heraldic cross or Christian symbol consisting of a large Greek cross surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses, one in each quadrant....
. It is built in the neo-Byzantine style, resembling Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...
in Constantinople. Some Romanesque influences were added to the design.
The Rosary Portico designed by John Joseph Earley
John Joseph Earley
John Joseph Earley was the son of James Earley, a fourth generation Irish stone carver and ecclesiastical artist...
surrounds the church. It contains fifteen chapels depicting the mysteries of the Rosary. Each chapel contains plaques bearing the Hail Mary
Hail Mary
The Angelic Salutation, Hail Mary, or Ave Maria is a traditional biblical Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Hail Mary is used within the Catholic Church, and it forms the basis of the Rosary...
in nearly two hundred ancient and modern languages. The Rosary Portico resembles the Cloister of St. John Lateran in Rome and Saint Paul's Outside the Walls
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
The Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls , commonly known as St Paul's Outside the Walls, is one of four churches that are the great ancient major basilicas or papal basilicas of Rome: the basilicas of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Peter's and Saint Paul Outside the Walls...
. Various Christian symbols from the Catacombs decorate the facade.
Attached to the Church is the neo-Romanesque Monastery. The Monastery grounds contain replicas of shrines in the Holy Land, a Lourdes grotto
Lourdes grotto
A Lourdes grotto is a term used to describe a replica of the original grotto at Lourdes or a grotto honouring Our Lady of Lourdes unassociated with the Lourdes site...
, and a replica of the Porziuncola
Porziuncola
Porziuncola, also called Portiuncula or Porzioncula, Porciúncula is a small church located within the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in the frazione of Santa Maria degli Angeli, situated about from Assisi, Umbria...
.
Many artists and architects have contributed to the development of the site.