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The Way of Beauty: A Fitting Shrine to the Patroness of the United States
The most beautiful church in America
As much as I love bookstores (said love being well documented on this site, including an early article here), there is another category of architectural marvel that I adore just as much: churches, in particular cathedrals and basilicas. I’m sure part of it is the result of my Catholic upbringing, but it doesn’t require belief of any kind to recognize the stunning beauty of these small wonders of the world.
Pope Francis has spoken often of the power of the “via pulchritudinis” or the “way of beauty” in spreading the Gospel. This “way of beauty” is evident in the many cathedrals and basilicas around the world, particularly in Europe. But Europe does not have a monopoly on such beauty; there are many such wonders here in North America as well, including one in Montreal I wrote about recently:
Here in the United States, the most beautiful basilica you will find is in our nation’s capital: the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception…
