FAITH QUEST — FRANCISCAN MONASTERY OF THE HOLY LAND IN AMERICA
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Welcome to Faith Quest
at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America!
Welcome, Faith Questers, to the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America! Your
quest begins and ends at the Visitors Entrance. Be sure to pick up a map or refer to the one on
the next page.
Since the end of the Crusades (late 13th century) members of the Franciscan Order have been
present in the Holy Land, entrusted by the Popes to be custodians of sacred sites associated
with Christ’s life in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem and other places. The Franciscan
Monastery was built at the turn of the last century to create a “Holy Land in America,”
allowing American pilgrims who are not able to travel to the Holy Land to visit the holy sites
close to home. The Franciscan Monastery continues to be a popular pilgrim site for Americans
and visitors from around the world. It includes magnificent gardens, peaceful outdoor space,
and replicas of holy sites throughout the church and grounds. Prepare yourself to travel across
the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea to the Holy Land. This quest will lead you
around the monastery grounds and into the main church. Please note: Your walk will take
you along steep hills and some stairs. You may opt out of these parts if you wish. As you go,
imagine yourself seeing some of the real places where the most important events of our faith
occurred. Answering the questions below will also guide you along a “path” to solve a final
puzzle on the last page of this guide.
While you are here today, we encourage you to find a favorite spot in the church or grounds
and spend some time in reflection and prayer. Once you have finished your quest, go back to
the Visitors Entrance to get your passport stamped.
Thanks for visiting the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America. We hope you find
time to come again and tell your family and friends! Please also share your experiences by
sending posts, photos, or tweets to www.facebook.com/groups/faithquesters or Twitter
@WashArchdiocese. Update your status on the leaderboard at www.adw.org/FaithQuest.
Note: Information about the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land is from the website: www.myfranciscan.org
FAITH QUEST — FRANCISCAN MONASTERY OF THE HOLY LAND IN AMERICA
Here is a map of the monastery grounds to help guide you. Or you can pick up a map at the
Visitors Entrance.
Ready to begin?
UPPER GARDEN QUEST
Begin your quest outside in front of the church and locate two statues among the rose gardens.
One statue is of Fr. Godfrey Schilling, the founder and first Commissary of this monastery. He is
holding small replica of the monastery in one hand while his other hand is raised to give a blessing. It
was his dream to build replicas of the Holy Land sites here in Washington, D.C., and his dream was
realized in 1898, when the first cornerstone was laid.
Step 1. Is his left hand or his right hand raised in blessing? On the puzzle
pathway on the last page, mark the first path stone in this direction.
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FAITH QUEST — FRANCISCAN MONASTERY OF THE HOLY LAND IN AMERICA
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The other statue is of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscans, well known for his love for all
of God’s creatures, especially gentle animals and little birds. It was St. Francis who went to the Middle
East in the beginning of the 13th century in order to “touch” the places where Our Lord had walked.
This was the beginning of the presence of the Franciscans in the Holy Land.
Now notice the cross on the flag near these statues, across from the main entrance to the church.
This type of cross is called the “Jerusalem Cross” (also known as the “Crusaders’ Cross” or the “Five
Fold Cross”). The four small crosses are said to signify the call to carry the Gospel of Jesus to every
corner of the earth, or they can also symbolize the five wounds of Christ. The floor plan of the Main
Church at the Franciscan Monastery is in the shape of a Jerusalem Cross.
Can you find another Jerusalem Cross on the church itself?
Step 2. Did you look up or down to find it? On the puzzle pathway on the last
page, mark the next path stone in this direction.
Now go to the arched main gates.
You will be walking along the portico (covered walkway) in a moment, but first, there is one more
statue to look at. It is St. Christopher, who according to legend, carried the Christ Child across a river.
Step 3. Is St. Christopher holding his staff in his right hand or his left? On the
puzzle pathway, mark the next path stone in this direction.
Walk along the covered Rosary Portico to the right. Notice the Hail Mary written in over 100 languages!
LOWER GARDEN QUEST
Continue along the Rosary Portico (toward the right of the monastery) until you reach the entrance to the lower
garden. Walk down the steps into the garden (if you can’t use steps, the path to the right also ends up in the lower
gardens). Please note this part of the quest involves steep hills. You may opt out and refer to your map instead.
As you make your way down the path, notice the replica of the Grotto of Gethsemane. The bas relief
shows a scene from Our Lord’s agony in the garden recounted in Luke 22:43, “An angel from heaven
appeared to him and strengthened him.”
You will also pass by a replica of a typical Jewish tomb in the Holy Land from the time of Christ and,
following the path, next you’ll come to a small chapel, the Tomb of Mary. Who would we expect to find
buried in the real tomb in Jerusalem today? Think carefully! Hint: What is the Fourth Glorious Mystery
of the rosary? (You can find it in the portico.)
From here you can see a replica of a site not in the Holy Land, but very well known to Catholics -- the
Grotto of Lourdes, France, where Mary appeared to a young girl, Bernadette, in 1858. Notice the statue
of St. Bernadette kneeling before Mary on one knee.
Step 4. Is St. Bernadette looking up or down? On the puzzle pathway, mark the
next path stone in this direction.
Walk along the Stations of the Cross until you get to a small shrine at the bottom of the garden.
No, that’s not Mary holding Jesus; that’s St. Anne holding the child Mary. Beneath the shrine is a replica
of the house in Old Cairo where the Holy Family lived during their exile in Egypt.
Step 5. Is Station III to the right or left of St. Anne? On the puzzle pathway,
mark the next path stone in this direction.
Follow the Stations of the Cross and walk up the hill.
FAITH QUEST — FRANCISCAN MONASTERY OF THE HOLY LAND IN AMERICA
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At the top of the hill, you’ll find the eight-sided Chapel of the Ascension. It is a copy of one that the
Crusaders built on Mt. Olivet at the place of Our Lord’s Ascension.
Step 6. What does “ascension” mean? To go up or down? On the puzzle
pathway, mark the next path stone in this direction.
By the way, this chapel shaped like an octagon because the number 8 has a special significance in
Catholic tradition. Since there are 7 days in our week, the number 8 represents what’s to come after this
life: heaven. So, the number 8 is used in church architecture to remind us of our heavenly home.
CHURCH QUEST
Now walk back to the visitor entrance and continue into the main church.
The first chapel you come to is dedicated to St. Joseph. Notice the two scenes on either side of the statue
of St. Joseph. One portrays the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, and the other shows the Holy Family on
the flight to Egypt.
Step 7. Is the flight to Egypt portrayed on the left or the right? On the puzzle
pathway, mark the next path stone in this direction.
Find the Holy Sepulchre.
Although you’ll often hear this church referred to as “the Franciscan Monastery,” the formal name of it
is the Church of Mount St. Sepulchre. “Sepulchre” is another word for “tomb” and the Holy Sepulchre
in the church (found counterclockwise from St. Joseph’s chapel) is a replica of the tomb where the body
of Christ was buried in Jerusalem.
As you walk into the Holy Sepulchre, what do you notice about the size of the inner doorway that is
different from most regular doorways? Did you have to bend down? What do you think the size of the
doorway symbolizes? If you said “humility,” you are right. Being humble of heart, dying to ourselves, is
important in following Christ.
Outside the tomb stairs lead to a scene of the Transfiguration of Jesus and opposite this scene is a lifesize diorama of the crucifixion.
Go to the crucifixion scene. (If stairs are difficult, you can opt out of this part of the quest.)
Step 8. Did you have to go up or down to get there? On the puzzle pathway,
mark the next path stone in this direction.
Take a look at the crucifixion scene. Who do you see? Spend a moment in prayer reflecting on what
Jesus did for us on Calvary.
Step 9. Is the Roman soldier on the left or the right of the scene? On the puzzle
pathway, mark the next path stone in this direction.
This is the end of your quest today, but there’s plenty more to see -- catacombs, the Grotto of the
Nativity, and more. Consider going on a tour if you have time -- or come back another day! Guided
tours of the interior of the Main Church last approximately 45 minutes and are scheduled at 10am, 11am,
1pm, 2pm, and 3pm Monday through Saturday and at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm on Sunday. Groups of 6 or
more must make a reservation for a tour. Note that the Lower Church is accessible by stairs only.
Now, solve the final puzzle on the last page and then get your passport stamped at the Visitors Entrance
before you leave. God bless you and thank you for visiting the Franciscan Monastery today.
START
HERE
JEWS
LIVE
ROMANS
THE
WHO
CHRISTIANS
FOR
FOR
CARE
BY
THE
IN
AMERICA
SEA
CRUSADES
LAND
CHURCH
_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________
Answer: The Franciscans also
THE
IN
WORK
HOLY
EUROPE
AND
TRAVEL
WHO
PILGRIMS
You have visited
several Holy Land
RICH
sites today. And
you know that the
Franciscans who
have provided this
opportunity to
“travel” to the Holy
THE
Land in Washington, D.C., are members of the Order
that have custody of
the real places in the
Holy Land. But did
WITH
you know that the
upkeep of these
sites is only part of
the Franciscans’
mission in the Holy
Land? Write the
FRANCISCANS
words on the
“pathstones” you
marked during your
quest to find out
what else they do.
FINAL PUZZLE
FAITH QUEST — FRANCISCAN MONASTERY OF THE HOLY LAND IN AMERICA
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FAITH QUEST — FRANCISCAN MONASTERY OF THE HOLY LAND IN AMERICA
ANSWER:
The Franciscans also care for Christians who live in the Holy Land.
Caring for the stones that preserve the memory of Jesus naturally leads to caring for the “living
stones,” the Christians who have lived in the Holy Land throughout the centuries. Franciscans
help support the Christian presence in the Holy Land by running schools, building housing,
and helping the poor and suffering.
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