Welcome back to “Faith on the Road”. This ‘The Road of Faith’ pilgrimage takes us to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, Ohio.
The Shrine was founded by The Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1850. The Missionaries still serve on site and care for the grounds and grottos.
When you arrive at the Shrine, your eyes are drawn to the blend of the statues and grottos and nature. The church chapel is right at the entrance and off to the side of this beautiful chapel is an outdoor chapel for Mass.
After being destroyed by fire in 1912, the Sorrowful Mother Shrine Chapel was rebuilt and is the heart of the Shrine today. It features paintings of the Seven Sorrows of Mary and a newly refurbished statue of the Sorrowful Mother holding the Body of her Son. The stained glass windows portray Mary’s role in the life of the Church as expressed in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin and Sorrowful Mother. Mary, cause of our joy: Mary, help of Christians; Mary, most powerful; Mary, comforter of the afflicted. Other window scenes depict the life of Christ.
Forty-one grottos and religious sculptures surround the 120 acres along the pathways and amidst the trees. Each grotto is dedicated to a saint or a mystery of Christ’s or the Blessed Virgin’s life. Pilgrims visit and pray at all the grottos or choose to hold special services at grottos honoring saints to which they have specific devotions. Each year pilgrims form processions to visit the grottos and honor their patron saints.
Right in the center of the Stations of the Cross walk lies a Grotto of St. Faustina and Divine Mercy. I lit a candle and said a prayer for each of you in this Grotto.
The grottos include scenes of Fatima and Lourdes, a full walking path along the stations of the cross, our Lady of Guadeloupe and many more.
This Shrine is a nice place to spend a few hours in prayerful reflection and prayer located just a few hours from Pittsburgh along the PA/Ohio turnpike near Toledo.
