National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche

National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche
National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche
Religion
Affiliation	Catholic
Rite	Roman Rite
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	National Shrine
Location
Location	101 San Marco Ave; St. Augustine, FL
State	Florida
Territory	Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine
Geographic coordinates	29.9041354°N 81.3136839°W
Architecture
Completed	1609
Website
	https://missionandshrine.org/

The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche is a Catholic, Marian shrine located at the Nombre de Dios Mission in St. Augustine, Florida. Originally built in 1609, is the oldest shrine in the United States and was elevated to national shrine status in 2019.[1][2]

History

Background

Spanish explorers, under the command of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and the spiritual chaplaincy of Fr Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales, OFM, arrived in northern Florida in 1565. Grajalez celebrated there the first Mass in what would become the United States. The mission established there, Nombre de Dios, was also the first in that regard.[3]

The settlers brought with them the Spanish devotion to Nuestra Señora de La Leche y Buen Parto ("Our Lady of the Milk and Good Delivery"). The name comes from the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary nursing the infant Jesus, hence the reference to "la leche"—i.e., (breast) milk.

Construction

The shrine was built in 1609 at the mission, in what was then Spanish Florida. The central feature of the shrine is a state of the La Leche image.

The original shrine was destroyed in 1728 by British invaders from the north, and was rebuilt in 1875. The chapel seats about 30 and was built in 1914.

National status and coronation

The shrine was elevated to national shrine status by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2019, followed by the announcement of a canonical coronation ceremony due to take place in October 2020.[2]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the rescheduling of the coronation to October 2021.[4]

Significance

As one of the oldest Catholic worship sites in the Americas, the shrine holds a certain historical significance and is a popular pilgrimage site for prayers concerning pregnancy.

Upon its coronation ceremony in October 2021, it is to become just the fourth-such image in the United States.

References

Gomez, Mariano (2021-07-30). "Ricardo Flores, Our Lady of la Leche/Fr. Paul Cannariato, The Refugee Olympic Team/Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg, Sunday's Gospel". Relevant Radio. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
"USCCB elevates oldest Marian shrine in U.S. to national shrine status". The Catholic Sun. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2021-09-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
"The first Catholic Mass in the future United States took place in this state". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
"Canonical Coronation of the image of Our Lady of La Leche – October 10, 2021 – National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche". Retrieved 2021-09-03.

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[1] Gomez, Mariano (2021-07-30). "Ricardo Flores, Our Lady of la Leche/Fr. Paul Cannariato, The Refugee Olympic Team/Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg, Sunday's Gospel". Relevant Radio. Retrieved 2021-09-03.

[:0-2] "USCCB elevates oldest Marian shrine in U.S. to national shrine status". The Catholic Sun. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2021-09-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[3] "The first Catholic Mass in the future United States took place in this state". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-09-03.

[4] "Canonical Coronation of the image of Our Lady of La Leche – October 10, 2021 – National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche". Retrieved 2021-09-03.