National Shrine of the North American Martyrs
Encyclopedia
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
in Auriesville, New York
Auriesville, New York
Auriesville is a hamlet in the northeastern part of the town of Glen in Montgomery County, New York, United States, along the south bank of the Mohawk River. It lies about forty miles west of Albany, the state capital. A Jesuit cemetery is located there....
dedicated to the Jesuit missionaries who were martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
ed at the Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
village of Ossernenon between 1642 and 1646. St. Rene Goupil, a Jesuit brother, was martyred in 1642. St. Isaac Jogues, a Jesuit priest, and St. John Lalande, a lay missionary, were martyred in 1646. They remain the only canonized martyrs of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The first recitation of the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
in what is now New York State took place at the site on September 29, 1642. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk woman, was born there in 1656. She later converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and was baptized in what is now nearby Fonda, New York
Fonda, New York
Fonda is a village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 810 at the 2000 census. Fonda is the county seat of Montgomery County...
. While the missionaries were in Ossernenon and the adjacent Indian towns, she and other Mohawk converts were known for their exact Christian life, and in many instances for their exalted piety. In 1980, Blessed Kateri was beatified by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
The shrine was founded in 1885, and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Martyrs. In 1930, a unique Coliseum was built overlooking the Mohawk Valley
Mohawk Valley
The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains....
, thus becoming one of the first circular churches built in the United States. The Coliseum's design allows for the efficient seating of approximately 6000 worshipers for Holy Mass. Today the grounds of the Shrine cover some 600 acres (2.4 km²).
See also
- Martyrs' ShrineMartyrs' ShrineThe Martyrs’ Shrine is a Roman Catholic church in Midland, Ontario, Canada, which is consecrated to the memory of the Canadian Martyrs, six Jesuit Martyrs and two lay persons from the mission of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons. It is one of nine National Shrines in Canada,including, among others, St...
(Midland, Ontario, Canada) - North American Martyrs
- Top eight Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the US