ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH is the oldest parish in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1794 to meet the needs of Irish immigrants at work on the White House and the Capitol building.

BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION - Located in Washington, D. C. it honors the Blessed Mother under the title of the Immaculate Conception as the Patroness of the United States.  The Basilica is not only our nation’s greatest Marian Shrine, it is also among the ten largest churches in the world. In 1920, the cornerstone was laid, and in 1926, the Crypt Church, in the lower level was completed. Work was halted due to the depression and World War II. In 1959, the Great Upper Church was dedicated. "Built as the medieval cathedrals of Europe, without structural steel beams, framework, or columns, the Shrine is entirely of stone, brick, tile and mortar. It is a blending of techniques, both ancient and new, in which architecture mingles with symbol.” From the National Shrine website. The Basilica is not a parish or cathedral, but rather a national pilgrimage site.

 GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES.

PAPAL SEAL - The crossed keys of gold and silver symbolize the keys of the kingdom of heaven promised to Saint Peter, with authority to bind and loose). The triple crown (the tiara) represents “the three powers of the Supreme Pontiff (the pope): his functions as “supreme priest”, “supreme pastor” and “supreme teacher”. The gold cross surmounting the triple crowns symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus.

ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON SEAL - The Archdiocese of Washington, consists of a shield quartered in blue and red, with a cross. Each cross limb terminates in three knobs quartered in gold (yellow) and silver (white), based on the cross in the Maryland coat of arms. The cross, in the traditional papal colors, together with the red, white and blue of the overall design, symbolizes the presence of the Catholic Church in Washington, DC, the nation’s capital, and in the Maryland counties of Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles. In the first quarter is a silver crescent, a traditional symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness of the United States under the title of her Immaculate Conception. The three stars in the second quarter are based on those in the arms of Pope Pius VI, who reigned at the time of the Declaration of Independence. The three stars in the third quarter are adapted from the arms of George Washington. The man’s face (not depicted in our window) between two wings in silver in the fourth quarter is an ancient symbol of Saint Matthew the Apostle, patron of the Cathedral.

 FRANCISCAN MONASTERY - This century-old monastery is a replica of the Holy Land shrines. In the lower church, there is a replica of the Roman catacombs. You can see the place where Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and the tomb where he was buried in Jerusalem. Traveling further, you can descend to the spooky catacombs of Rome, burial site of martyrs from centuries past. Or you can relax in the gardens at France’s Grotto of Lourdes, where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a peasant girl named Bernadette. The church and grounds of the 1899 monastery have scale reproductions of some of the most famous shrines in the world. Foremost among them is the Holy Sepulchre -- the tomb of Christ -- from which the monastery takes its formal name, the Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Franciscans built the monastery to give those who did not have the means to travel to foreign lands the chance to learn what those places look like.

ST. MATTHEW’S CATHEDRAL - The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington D.C., is the seat of the Archbishop (Donald Wuerl as of 2006) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. It is dedicated to the Apostle Matthew, who among other things is patron saint of civil servants, having himself been a tax collector.

The Cathedral is one of the most impressive houses of worship in the United States. Designed by noted New York architect C. Grant La Farge, the Cathedral has been cited “as [having] one of the most beautiful church interiors of modern times.” Its walls are laden with shimmering mosaics suggestive of those found in the renowned churches of Ravenna, Italy. The Cathedral is in the form of a Latin cross 155 feet long and 136 feet wide at the transepts. The interior of the dome rises 190 feet. The body of the Cathedral seats about 1,000 persons.