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The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a prominent Roman Rite Catholic basilica located in Washington, D.C., United States of America, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the principal Patroness of the USA. The shrine is the largest Catholic church in the United States and North America, one of the ten largest churches in the world, and the tallest habitable building in Washington, D.C.〔(【引用サイトリンク】The National Shrine )〕〔The Washington Monument is taller, but is not a habitable building).〕 Construction of this church, notable for its Neo-Byzantine architecture, began in 1920 under Philadelphia contractor John McShain. It opened unfinished in 1959. An estimated one million pilgrims visit the basilica each year. The basilica is designated both as the national and patronal Catholic Church of the United States,〔 honoring the Virgin Mary, under the title ''Immaculate Conception'', by which Pope Pius XI donated a mosaic of the same image in 1923. It is not the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Washington, which is the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. The shrine was visited by Popes John Paul II, who designated the National Shrine as a Minor Basilica on October 12, 1990, and Benedict XVI, who bestowed the honor of a Golden Rose on the basilica. The basilica does not have its own parish community, but serves the adjacent Catholic University of America which donated the land for its construction, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and hosts numerous Masses for various organizations of the Church from across the United States. The basilica is on Michigan Avenue in the northeast quadrant of Washington. It is served by Brookland-CUA Metro Station on the Red Line, roughly 1640'/500m away. the rector of the shrine was the Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, who holds a Licentiate of Canon Law. ==Architecture== The basilica houses 70 chapels honoring Mary and reflecting the origins of the Catholic immigrants and religious orders whose generosity erected them. Its Greek-styled interior is crowned with numerous domes decorated in mosaics, similar to the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice, Italy, but much larger. The mosaics feature American renditions of traditional Catholic images. Artist Jan Henryk De Rosen, who presided over the shrine's iconography committee was also responsible for much of its decor, including composing the large mosaic over the northern apse. The exterior of the basilica is long, wide, and tall to the top of the cross on the dome. The diameter of the main (Trinity) dome of the basilica is only smaller than that of the dome of the United States Capitol. The shrine was built in the style of medieval churches, relying on masonry walls and columns in place of structural steel and reinforced concrete. It was designed to hold 10,000 worshipers and includes modern amenities such as a basement cafeteria, hidden public address speakers to carry speech at the altar to the rear of the building, air conditioning and the largest (in 1959) radiant heating slab in the world. In all, 70 chapels and sacred images flank the sides of the upper church and crypt.〔(Clay, Jennifer. "National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception", ''Washington Post'', April 2005 )〕 It contains many works of art. There are arches outlined with iridescent Pewabic Pottery tile, large ceramic medallions set in the ceiling, and fourteen Stations of the Cross for the crypt. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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