Welcome, Faith Questers, to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception – known to locals as “The Shrine.” Can you guess who is honored here?
Your quest begins and ends at the information desk. Be sure to pick up a map.
The Shrine is the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America,
and it’s one of the ten largest churches in the world – so a map will be helpful in
navigating your way around.
In the early 1900’s, Bishop Thomas Shahan, rector of The Catholic University of
America, suggested building a national shrine to honor Mary, comparable to the great
sanctuaries of Europe. Bishop Shahan presented his plan to Pope Pius X in a private
audience in 1913 and received not only enthusiastic support, but a personal contribution
from the Pontiff as well. The Shrine has magnificent architecture and an abundance of
religious symbols. Because there is so much to see, this quest is limited to a scavenger
hunt in the Upper Church. However, if you have time and want a challenge, you may also
complete the more difficult, but optional quest for the Crypt level. Either way, we hope
your quest at the Shrine will give you some things to think about as you walk through this
tribute to Our Blessed Mother.*
Once you have finished your quest, head back to the information desk where you
can get your passport stamped and find an answer key for the questions. Did you get
them all right?
We encourage you to pick your favorite chapel and spend some time in prayer
during your visit here. The Shrine is designated as one of the nine pilgrimage churches in
the Archdiocese of Washington for the Year of Faith. Through the graciousness of the
Holy See, Catholics who visit one of the nine pilgrimage churches by November 24, 2013
and fulfill certain conditions will have the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence.
(See your Faith Quest passport for more details.)
Thanks for visiting the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. There’s so
much more to see — we hope you’ll plan another visit soon.
*
The history of the Shrine and some of the text for the questions were taken from the booklet, “Basilica of
the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception — A Guidebook and Personal Tour.”
UPPER CHURCH QUEST: Please be respectful and kindly avoid Questing where
Mass is being celebrated. Thank you for your collaboration.
1. There is a marble relief sculpture above the entrance to the Upper Church. It is
named Universal Call to Holiness. The sculpture depicts people from various
states of life, social classes, and ethnic origins, being drawn to the Holy Spirit.
Can you find two familiar faces who were close friends? One was recently
canonized and proclaimed a Saint by the Church and the other is a blessed and on
way to becoming a saint. Hint: One was a pope and one formed a religious order
to serve the poor.
_________________________________________________________ and
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What can we learn from them that will help us grow in holiness?
2. Who are the four figures shown in the Incarnation Dome closest to the entrance?
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3. There is a dome over the chancel (the part of the church around the altar) that
depicts dozens of flames descending. What New Testament event does this
mosaic depict? Hint: This happened after Jesus left the disciples.
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4. Fifteen chapels behind the altar represent the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious
mysteries of the rosary. Each chapel has a mosaic divided into two parts. The
upper part shows the particular mystery of the rosary, while the lower part shows
an Old Testament story — a kind of hint of what will come in the New Testament
mystery. Can you identify the mystery and its corresponding Old Testament scene
from one of the chapels?
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5. In the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, the tabernacle is shaped like a very important
object of the Old Testament. What was that object so important to the Israelites?
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6. The sacristy is the area where the sacred vessels, vestments, and other materials
are stored and prepared for the Eucharistic liturgy. The entrance is secured by a
bronze door which depicts Jesus’ family tree. It is called the Tree of _________.
Hint: It is named after King David’s father. (Matthew 1:6)
7. The nave galleries of the upper church have statues of various saints. Can you
identify one of them? What was that saint known for?
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8. What four New Testament people are represented in The Redemption Dome? Can
you tell something about one of them?
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CRYPT LEVEL QUEST (OPTIONAL): Please be respectful and kindly avoid Questing
where Mass is being celebrated. Thank you for your collaboration.
1. There is only one person interred in the Founders Chapel. Who is this?
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Can you tell what his ancestry was based on the style of the crucifix above the
altar?
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There are a number of saints from this country depicted in the chapel. Can you
guess who one of them is? Hint: A lot of people celebrate his feast day in March.
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2. Several liturgical traditions or rites are presently in use in the Church today. You
may be most familiar with the Latin (Roman) rite, but there is a chapel on this
level devoted to the Byzantine rite. You’ll recognize the Byzantine-Ruthenian
chapel by its ornate mosaic of Mary. The icons on the sanctuary doors are the
Four Evangelists. Who were they? Hint: You may know them better as authors of
four books in the New Testament.
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3. In the Hall of American Saints, you will see statues of six Americans. Name
them.
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4. There is a sculpture in relief of St. Peter and the rest of the apostles on the main
altar of the Crypt Church. What is St. Peter holding? Why is this a symbol for
him?
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5. There is a chapel right off of the Crypt Church called The Our Lady of Hostyn
chapel. Confessions are heard here. The chapel was a gift of the Czech people
who were saved from a Mongol invasion in 1241. Their prayers to Mary were
answered when a violent storm erupted and the invading forces fled. Can you see
anything in the statue of Mary and Jesus that symbolizes this event?
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6. In the Crypt Church there is a chapel called Our Lady of Hope. It was built
through the donations of a famous entertainer and his wife. Who is the famous
entertainer that made the donation to build this chapel? Hint: He was known for
his “buddy” movies with Bing Crosby. Also, the name of the chapel is a clue.
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7. The Our Mother of Africa chapel has an interesting ceiling. What does it look
like? Why do you think this design was chosen?
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8. The altar in the crypt church is made of onyx. In the 1920’s, women who were
named Mary or who felt a kinship to the name Mary were asked to donate a dollar
to help build the altar. Thirty thousand women responded. The scallop that tops
each niche where these figures are represents pilgrimage. There are 14 figures of
the New Testament carved out of the altar. One is Jesus. Can you guess who the
other 13 are?
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9. In the Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, the sancturary is designed to be a replica of
the grotto at Lourdes where the apparition of Mary appeared. Lourdes is in
France. In the grotto scene there is a stone that was taken from the prison cell of a
famous female French saint, who, like Mary, was asked by God to do great things
for Him at a young age. Can you guess who this was?
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Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Faith Quest Answers
UPPER CHURCH
1.
2.
3.
4.
Bl. John Paul II and Bl. Teresa of Calcutta
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Sirach, Sarah
Pentecost
Any one of the following:
Joyful Mysteries (West Apse)
The Annunciation
The burning bush (Ex 3:1-4)
The Visitation
The Ark of the Covenant in the house of Obededon
(2 Sam 6:9-11)
The Nativity
Isaiah prophesying before King Achaz (Is 7:12-14)
The Presentation
Anna presents Samuel in the Temple (1 Sam 1:2428)
Finding in the Temple
Daniel, as a young boy, admonishing older men
(Dan 13:45-65)
Glorious Mysteries (North Apse)
The Resurrection
Joseph being taken from the dry well (Gen 37:28)
The Ascension into Heaven Elias taken to heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings
2:11)
Descent of the Holy Spirit
God giving Moses 10 Commandments on Mt.
Sinai (Ex 19,20:1-17)
Assumption of Mary
Ark of the Covenant being taken into the Temple
(Ps 132:8)
Crowning of Mary
King Solomon crowning his mother, Queen
Bethsaba (1 Kings 2:19)
Sorrowful Mysteries (East Apse)
Agony in the Garden
Expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden (Gen
3:23-24)
Scourging at the Pillar
Jeremiah being beaten (Jer 27:13-20)
Crowning with Thorns
King Joachim being held prisoner (2 Kings 24:1213)
Carrying the Cross
Isaac carrying wood for his alleged sacrifice (Gen
22:6-9)
Crucifixion
Passover lamb being sacrificed (Ex 12:1-6)
5. Ark of the Covenant
6. Tree of Jesse. It represents the lineage of Jesus.
7. Joan of Arc — patroness of soldiers and of France
Kateri Tekakwitha — a young Mohawk woman who lived in the 17th century
Thomas More — patron saint of lawyers, martyr for religious freedom
Margaret of Scotland — a virtuous 11th-century queen
Peter Julian Eymard — French priest and founder of two religious institutes
Ephraem — hermit, deacon, poet, and Doctor of the Church
Cyril of Jerusalem — Bishop of Jerusalem and Doctor of the Church, born c. 315
Charles Lwanga — a catechist in Uganda martyred for his faith in 1886
Monica — a 4th-century Christian and mother of St. Augustine of Hippo
Maria Goretti — Italian virgin-martyr who died in 1902, forgiving her attacker
Columba Kim — Korean virgin-martyr who died in 1839
(Of course, there is much more you might already know about the lives of these
saints — or perhaps you’ll be inspired to learn more about them!)
8. Lazarus — Jesus raised him from the dead (John 11:1-44)
Mary Magdalene — a follower of Jesus and one of the women who found the
empty tomb (John 20:1-18)
Simon of Cyrene — helped Jesus carry his cross (Mt. 27:32)
Joseph of Arimathea — buried Jesus (Mark 15:42-47)
CRYPT LEVEL
1. Bishop Shahan, Irish, St. Patrick
2. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
3. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Frances Xavier Cabrini, Kateri Tekakwitha, Rose Philippine
Duchesne, Katherine Drexel, and Teresa of Calcutta (an honorary U.S. citizen by
an Act of Congress).
4. A key. Jesus told Peter that he gave him the keys to the kingdom.
5. Mary and Jesus are shown atop rain clouds, and Jesus is holding a bolt of
lightning.
6. Bob Hope
7. It looks like the hull of a sailing vessel. It symbolizes the slave ships that brought
slaves to America.
8. The 12 apostles and Paul
9. St. Joan of Arc