| Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Year consecrated | 1999 |
| Location | |
| Location | Hanceville, Alabama, United States |
  Shown within AlabamaShow map of Alabama Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament (the United States)Show map of the United States | |
| Geographic coordinates | 34°03′20″N 86°41′19″W / 34.055682°N 86.688594°W / 34.055682; -86.688594 |
| Website | |
| olamshrine | |
The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, informally known as OLAM Shrine, is a prominent Catholic shrine located in Hanceville, Alabama, United States within the Diocese of Birmingham. Adjacent is the cloistered Monastery of the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration, situated on a 400-acre (160 ha) site and a religious center affiliated with the Eternal Word Television Network.
The shrine is notable for its gilt interior, solemn atmosphere, and 7.5-foot (2.3 m) monstrance. The shrine is named in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, while the building surroundings are dedicated to the Divino Niño, a title of the Child Jesus found prominently displayed all over the area. Its foundress, Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, resided at the cloistered monastery with her nuns until her death in 2016.
History
In 1995, while travelling to Colombia to seek assistance for EWTN's Spanish-language programs, Mother Angelica attended Mass at the Sanctuary of the Divine Child Jesus in Bogotá and was inspired to build a shrine honoring the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Five anonymous benefactors contributed to the purchase of a 400-acre (160 ha) former soybean farm located in Hanceville, Alabama, and to construction costs and materials. The monastery was consecrated in December 1999.
Description
The exterior is characteristic Romanesque, but incorporates pointed arches and other Gothic elements. Mother Angelica sought to model the Shrine on 13th century Italian architecture, with its piazza or plaza square, colonnade, esplanade and various cosmatesque designs. She also wanted the building to reflect materials from all over the world. The ceramic tile came from South America. The bronze doors depicting the Seven Joys and Seven Sorrows of Mary were designed and crafted in Spain. The floors, columns, and pillars are made of marble. The rare red Jasper marble is from Turkey. The wood for the pews, doors, and confessionals is cedar imported from Paraguay. Spanish workers came to build the doors. The stained glass windows were imported from Munich, Germany. The stations of the Cross inside are hand-carved.
The shrine consists of a cloistered monastery, upper and lower church, near life sized nativity scene, Lourdes grotto, castle which houses the gift shop and conference rooms, and John Paul II Eucharistic Center.
During construction, a storm struck the area, causing the church cross to be damaged. Initially, Mother Angelica wanted to repair it. Later on, Mother Angelica associated the cross with the Tau cross. The damaged remains of the top part of the cross are on display in the St. Joseph Courtyard. Another notable statue in the shrine depicts a scourged Jesus Christ, symbolic of his pain and suffering at the cross.
References
- "Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament". Retrieved Aug 6, 2019.
- ""How It All Began", Our Lady of the Angels Monastery". Retrieved Aug 6, 2019.
- ""About the Shrine", Our Lady of the Angels Monastery". Retrieved Aug 6, 2019.
- Brandau, Jean. "Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama". Huntsville.about.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
- "Alabama's Official Travel Guide - Alabama.Travel - Local Tips for Your Alabama Vacation". alabama.travel. Retrieved Aug 6, 2019.
- EWTN: Video Tour 2008
- "Story of a damaged Roman Cross". www.thecross-photo.com. Retrieved Aug 6, 2019.
External links
- Official website Archived 2015-03-10 at the Wayback Machine
- Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Granda Liturgical Arts - description of church interior
- Convents in the United States
- Roman Catholic churches in Alabama
- Churches in Cullman County, Alabama
- Roman Catholic churches completed in 1999
- Christian organizations established in 1999
- 1999 establishments in Alabama
- 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama