Welcome to Faith Quest at the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception!
Do you know who the patroness of the United States is? The answer is the Blessed
Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception, and you are standing in our nation’s
preeminent shrine dedicated to her. This shrine is the largest Roman Catholic church in the
United States (actually, in all of North America) and is home to the largest collection of
contemporary ecclesiastical art on earth and more than 70 chapels and oratories that relate to
the peoples, cultures, and traditions that are all part of the fabric of Catholic faith.
In today’s quest, you are going to have a chance to visit some of those chapels and learn
about how the Blessed Virgin Mary is honored in different places around the world. Catholics
from so many countries and cultures have contributed not only to the chapels of this Basilica,
but to the diversity in our archdiocese and in our nation. Diversity, yes, and while we can
respect and even rejoice in the amazing mosaic of devotion to Our Lady you’ll see here, we are
also reminded that as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, our unity transcends all.
_______________
Because the Basilica is so large (one of the 10 largest in the world!), our quest today is
limited to chapels on the Lower Level, although of course you are welcome to continue your
explorations in the Upper Level. Begin by getting a map at the Information Desk and
proceeding to the chapel of Our Lady of La Vang. From there you will spend some time at the
Hall of American Saints. Then you will enter the Crypt Church and continue by visiting the Our
Lady, Queen of Peace chapel (to your left). You will visit the remaining Marian chapels in the
Crypt Church in a clockwise direction by proceeding to Our Lady of Ephesus and ending with
Our Mother of Africa (exit the Crypt Church and go right to find it).
Along the way, be sure to observe carefully. You will be completing a unique Blessed
Mother crossword puzzle based on the information you learn as you visit the various chapels.
The clues are given below the puzzle, with hints that tell you in which chapel you can find the
answer. A word bank is also provided to help you.
When you are finished with the crossword puzzle, remember to go back to the
Information Desk to get your passport stamped. You can update your status on the Faith Quest
leaderboard at www.adw.org/FaithQuest and send photos, posts, and tweets about your quest
to www.facebook.com/groups/faithquesters or Twitter @WashArchdiocese. Thank you for
visiting the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception!
FAITH QUEST – BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
1. Our Lady of La Vang
4. Our Lady of Ephesus
7. Our Lady of Antipolo
10. Our Lady of Bistrica
2. Hall of American Saints
5. Our Lady of Hope
8. Our Lady of Mariazell
11. Our Mother of Africa
2
3. Our Lady, Queen of Peace
6. Our Lady of Good Health
9. Our Lady of Ta’Pinu
Relief in Our Mother of Africa Chapel
Special note of interest regarding the relief in Our Mother of Africa chapel:
Notice the Modern African Family is not found within the relief itself. There is
a progression which depicts the African/African-American people from the
time of slavery to the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The Modern African
Family is not part of the relief because they, as a family and a people, have
been freed from any bondage through their own determination, the Holy
Spirit and the Crucified Christ. The Holy Spirit is clearly depicted to show this.
FAITH QUEST – BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
3
Using the clues on the next page, complete the crossword below. (Note: For multiword answers,
don't put blank spaces in the puzzle.)
1
3
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Created on TheTeachersCorner.net Crossword Maker
FAITH QUEST – BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
4
WORD BANK
Arrival
Austria
Canh Thint
Carmela Grima
Civil rights
Croatia
Crying out
Elizabeth Ann Seton
Ephesus
Evacuation
Four
Frances Xavier Cabrini
Gozo
Ildephonsus
Kateri Tekakwitha
Mark
Pax
Pontmain
Slavery
Slavic
Styria
Theotokos
Thomas
Turks
Vailankanni
Vietnam
CROSSWORD CLUES
Down
1. What is the Latin word for “peace” inscribed on this altar in large letters? Hint: Find this
answer in the chapel of Our Lady, Queen of Peace.
2. Mariazell is situated in the north of the Austrian Federal Province of this city. Hint: Find this
answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Mariazell.
4. This saint lived in Maryland and was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be
canonized by the Catholic Church. Hint: Find this answer in the Hall of American Saints.
5. What was the name of the woman who heard the voice of the Blessed Mother summon her to
the chapel to pray? Hint: Find this answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Ta’Pinu.
7. This saint is informally known as the “Lily of the Mohawks” and was canonized on Oct. 21,
2012. Hint: Find this answer in the Hall of American Saints.
9. Which apostle introduced Christianity to India in 52 AD? Hint: Find this answer in the chapel
of Our Lady of Good Health.
10. The Basilica Ta’Pinu is located on what island in Malta? Hint: Find this answer in the chapel
of Our Lady of Ta’Pinu.
12. The apparition of Our Lady of Hope took place in what city of France? Hint: Find this
answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Hope.
14. The relief in this chapel depicts the African-American people moving from slavery to this
movement in the 1960s. Hint: Find this answer in the chapel of Our Mother of Africa.
15. “Maria Bistrica” was crowned Queen of _____ in 1935. Hint: Find this answer in the chapel
of Our Lady of Bistrica.
FAITH QUEST – BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
5
17. To which saint did Mary appear under the title of Our Lady, Queen of Peace? Hint: Find this
answer in the chapel of Our Lady, Queen of Peace.
18. Our Lady of Mariazell is considered the great mother of this country. Hint: Find this answer
in the chapel of Our Lady of Mariazell.
19. Which emperor restricted the practice of Catholicism in Vietnam? Hint: Find this answer in
the chapel of Our Lady of La Vang.
20. The relief in this chapel depicts the African people beginning with what? Hint: Find this
answer in the chapel of Our Mother of Africa.
21. The mural painted on the left depicts “The _____” of the Virgin’s image to the country. Hint:
Find this answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Antipolo.
Across
2. Our Lady of Mariazell is considered the great mother of this people/community. Hint: Find
this answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Mariazell.
3. In which country did the devotion of Our Lady of La Vang originate? Hint: Find this answer
in the chapel of Our Lady of La Vang.
6. Sculptures on the wall of this chapel show the 4 evangelists with African features and the
creatures that are traditionally associated with each of them. Which is the lion? Find this answer
in the chapel of Our Mother of Africa.
8. What is the name of the mural depicting the image being taken away to escape Japanese
destruction of the town in 1945? Hint: Find this answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Antipolo.
11. What was Mary declared at the Council of Ephesus in AD 431? It means “God-bearer,”
“Mother of God.” Hint: Find this answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Ephesus.
13. To how many children did Our Lady of Hope appear? Hint: Find this answer in the chapel
of Our Lady of Hope.
16. This saint founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, a community that greatly
supported Italian immigrants in the U.S. Hint: Find this answer in the Hall of American Saints.
19. Legend says that “La Vang” comes from the Vietnamese words for “____ ____,” referring to
the cries for help of the persecuted Christians. Hint: Find this answer in the chapel of Our Lady
of La Vang.
22. The apparition of Our Lady of Good Health took place in this city in India. Hint: Find this
answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Good Health.
23. According to tradition, Mary lived with St. John in his home after Jesus was crucified. Where
was John’s home? Hint: Find this answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Ephesus.
24. A statue of the Blessed Virgin accompanied refugees fleeing this group of people in the 13th
century. Hint: Find this answer in the chapel of Our Lady of Bistrica.
FAITH QUEST – BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
6
Faith Quest Puzzle Answers
3
v
1
2
p
s
l
a
v
i
i
o
n
c
4
i
e
t
n
l
a
m
t
x
y
i
r
5
z
6
m
7
a
i
c
r
8
k
e
9
V
a
c
u
a
t
10
b
a
r
g
h
11
t
12
h
e
o
t
t
o
k
e
o
s
z
m
p
o
e
o
m
l
n
a
c
s
i
13
14
h
r
a
i
a
t
n
t
g
m
f
o
u
r
15
c
16
f
v
17
r
a
n
c
e
s
x
a
v
i
E
r
c
a
b
r
i
n
i
18
o
s
k
l
i
i
l
A
a
e
a
d
m
n
r
U
t
t
k
e
a
i
S
19
i
o
w
20
p
c
r
y
i
n
g
o
U
T
21
a
i
a
h
a
h
R
L
t
r
o
n
t
I
A
h
r
n
h
s
A
i
s
t
E
v
u
R
a
s
Y
l
S
n
22
V
a
i
l
a
n
k
a
n
n
23
e
p
h
e
s
u
s
u
r
k
s
i
n
24
t