Shrine of the Holy Relics facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Maria Stein Convent
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Road view of the convent complex; the shrine is at far right
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Maria Stein, Ohio |
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| Area | 23 acres (9.3 ha) |
| Built | 1846 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio TR (later addition) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001490 |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1976 |
The Shrine of the Holy Relics in Maria Stein, Ohio is a very special place. It holds the second largest collection of relics in the United States. This shrine is part of the historic Maria Stein Convent. It's a place where people can learn about history and faith.
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Contents
The Story of the Shrine
The story of the Maria Stein Shrine began with Father Francis de Sales Brunner. He was a missionary who led the Society of the Precious Blood. Father Brunner loved collecting relics. He started the first collection of relics in Maria Stein.
How the Collection Grew
Over the 1800s, more relics were added to the original collection. This was done to keep them safe. In 1892, a special "relic chapel" was created. Here, the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood kept a constant watch over the relics.
What are Relics?
Relics are very old and special items. They can be parts of a saint's body, usually bones. They can also be objects that belonged to a saint. Saints are people believed to have lived very good and inspiring lives. Relics are held in high respect because of their connection to these holy people.
A Large and Unique Collection
The Maria Stein Shrine has about 1,100 relics. This makes it the second largest collection in the United States. Only Saint Anthony's Chapel in Pittsburgh has more, with about five thousand relics.
The Sacred Heart Relic Chapel is full of color and beautiful carvings. These carvings were made in Germany in the 1700s and 1800s. The relics are carefully placed throughout the chapel. This "relic chapel" is connected to a larger chapel. This larger chapel is the main part of the interesting 1800s brick convent.
Special Relics and Recognition
Some of the relics at Maria Stein are very unique. They include a small piece of the True Cross. There is also a tiny piece of bone from St. Peregrine. He is known as the patron saint of people with cancer.
The Maria Stein Shrine was built in 1846. It was recognized as a historic place in 1976. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. On the second floor of the convent, there is a Heritage Museum. This museum shows what life was like when the community first started. Even today, many people in southern Mercer County are Catholic. This shows the lasting impact of people who moved there in the 1800s.
See also
