- Allen
- Auglaize
- Crawford
- Darke
- Defiance
- Erie
- Fulton
- Hancock
- Hardin
- Henry
- Huron
- Logan
- Lorain
- Lucas
- Mercer
- Morrow
- Ottawa
- Paulding
- Putnam
- Richland
- Sandusky
- Seneca
- Shelby
- Van Wert
- Williams
- Wood
- Wyandot
The Sorrowful Mother Shrine located just south of Bellevue on SR 269 and it is the oldest pilgrimage site in the United States east of the Mississippi River dedicated to the Blessed Mother. It began back in 1850 when a missionary priest built a small brick chapel here in honor of the Blessed Mother. That building became the center of a more expansive mission to minister to the increasing number of German Catholics arriving in Northwest Ohio.
In 1870 a second chapel was completed on the grounds. It was larger and could better handle the increasing number of visitors arriving daily for rejuvenation, healing and spiritual uplifting.
In 1912 the chapel burned to the ground and in that fire the original wood carved statue of the Sorrowful Mother was lost. It was replaced with a new chapel that still functions today.
Today, paved walkways wind through the 100+ acres of forested land surrounding the chapel where visitors taking the pathways can visit the Stations of the Cross. Along the walkway visitors will find replicas of the Sepulchre and Lourdes Grotto as may well see some of the wildlife that inhabits the forest.
Especially prominent on the grounds from the highway is the Pieta Outdoor Chapel which was dedicated in July of 1968 to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims arriving at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine. On the east side of the Chapel is a reproduction of Michelangelo's Pietà in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion.
The original Michaelangelo Pieta sculpture was completed in 18889 and it took less than two years for it to be completed. It's original home was the Chapel of Santa Petronilla and is the only statuary work created by Michaelangelo to be signed by him.
While the Sorrowful Mother Shrine was built as a pilgrimage site for Catholics, don't be afraid to stop and take a few minutes to reflect on your own personal life situation even if you're not Catholic. It is not intended to be a tourist site or a playground, but visitors are certainly welcome. It is a place of meditation and those visiting should keep that in mind.
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