The Shrine of St. Anthony in Maryland

The Shrine of St. Anthony, 12290 Folly Quarter Rd, Ellicott City, Maryland, Združene države Amerike

Website of the Sanctuary

+1 410 531 2800

Shrine Chapel and the grounds Daily 9am-5pm

The Shrine of St. Anthony

The Conventual Franciscan Friars welcome you—as pilgrims, brothers and sisters on a sacred journey to a holy place. Located in scenic Howard County, Maryland, just 30 miles west of Baltimore, the Shrine of St. Anthony has been home to the Franciscan Friars for over 70 years.

In its long life, the Shrine has been home to many friars and has served as a student residence, a house of philosophy, and a novitiate. Since 1991, the Shrine has been home to the Companions of St. Anthony ministries.

Dedicated as a Shrine of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2005, the Shrine of St. Anthony offers you an opportunity to experience the Lord in a variety of ways. Your are invited to enjoy the beauty of their Italian Renaissance Shrine and Friary.

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Join them for Eucharist or Evening Prayer. Weather permitting, stroll along one of seven prayer paths, or enjoy the serenity and solitude of the Grotto of Lourdes.

The Shrine is privileged to house a major relic of St. Anthony, given to them as a gift from their confreres in Padua, Italy.

The relic is housed in the chapel at the Shrine of St. Anthony which is open to the public for prayers and reflection.

St. Anthony

Today St. Anthony is truly a universal saint, respected and venerated even by non-Christians. He is especially known as the patron saint of the lost, for all throughout his life he restored things back to people who had lost them: for some it was their health, for others their hope, for still others their virtue, and for many their faith. Today, as in the 13th century, we call out, “St. Anthony, pray for us!”


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The reliquary of St. Anthony

The jewel of the Shrine of St. Anthony, and its most important room, is the Chapel. Upon entering the Chapel itself, one should pause, realizing that this is “sacred space” and “holy ground” – where an atmosphere of holy silence prevails, creating an oasis of peace for the Divine Presence within.

With its beautifully carved gumwood choir stalls, its mosaic Stations of the Cross, and its coffered ceiling, the Chapel is a gem of the early Renaissance.It has four distinct areas: the interior narthex, the nave, the sanctuary, and the apse.

In the narthex is the reliquary of St. Anthony. This gold-leafed bust depicts the Portuguese Franciscan whom the whole world would come to know as the “miracle-worker” and “finder of lost things.”

In the middle of the flame is a precious first-class relic o fthe saint – a small piece of petrified flesh removed from his sarcophagus in Padua, Italy, in 1995. The friars in Padua sent the relic to the friars of Ellicott City in 1998. Catholics venerate, or pay respect to, relics as remembrances of a saint whose human body was once a “temple” of the Holy Spirit.

Hundreds of thousands of people each year send the friars petitions for the heavenly intercession of St. Anthony – friend of God and friend to humanity.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

The reliquary of St. Anthony

The jewel of the The Shrine of St. Anthony, and its most important room, is the Chapel. Upon entering the Chapel itself, one should pause, realizing that this is “sacred space” and “holy ground” – where an atmosphere of holy silenceprevails, creating an oasis of peace for the Divine Presence within.

With its beautifully carved gumwood choir stalls, its mosaic Stations of the Cross, and its coffered ceiling, the Chapel is a gem of the early Renaissance.It has four distinct areas: the interior narthex, the nave, the sanctuary, and the apse.

In the narthex is the reliquary of St. Anthony. This gold-leafed bust depicts the Portuguese Franciscan whom the whole world would come to know as the “miracle-worker” and “finder of lost things.”

relicIn the middle of the flame is a precious first-class relic ofthe saint – a smallpiece of petrified flesh removed from his sarcophagus in Padua, Italy, in 1995. The friars in Padua sent the relic to the friars of Ellicott City in 1998. Catholics venerate, orpay respect to, relics as remembrances of a saint whose human body was once a “temple” of the Holy Spirit.

Hundreds of thousands of people each year send the friars petitions for the heavenly intercession of St. Anthony – friend of God and friend to humanity.

The nave of the Chapel consists of the choir stalls facing each other. Here the friars would recite or chant the Divine Office, back and forth across the dark flagstone floor. The original choir stalls numbered 72, after the number of disciples sent out by Jesus in the Gospels. With the additional pews in front, the choir now seats 150.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

A Little Assisi in Maryland
Situated on 310 acres of rolling hills and woodlands in the heart of the Baltimore-Washington area, the Shrine of St. Anthony offers a unique opportunity to “come away and rest awhile.” (Mk 6:31) Just as St. Francis used creation as a ladder of “art” to ascend to the “Artist” God, the friars of the Shrine invite all pilgrims to deepen their relationship with God through the experience of creation.

The grounds of the Shrine of St. Anthony include many opportunities to pray. Celebrations at the Shrine often take place out of doors, giving pilgrims an opportunity to experience God’s creation as part of the liturgical celebration. Grotto to our Lady, an outdoors Stations of the Cross, and a new open-air Shrine to St. Maximilian Kolbe, all of which are open year-round. There are benches positioned all around the property on which one may read, pray, or just spend quiet time in God’s creation.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

History of the Shrine of St. Anthony

As a pilgrim turns into the holy ground of 12290 Folly Quarter Rd and begins to drive the winding road to the top of the hill where the Shrine of St. Anthony is located, one can’t help but be awed at the artistry and magnificent architecture of this 70 year old late Italian Renaissance building.

The rich history of relationships surrounding the property on which the Shrine of St. Anthony sits extends all the way back to the founding of the colony of Maryland.  As the friars of the Shrine of St. Anthony continue their ministry today, the story of the Church in America continues in the 21st century.

The rich history of relationships surrounding the property on which the Shrine of St. Anthony sits extends all the way back to the founding of the colony of Maryland. In fact it extends further to the dream of one man who wanted to establish at least one peaceful spot in the New World as a place of religious tolerance for all those who desired to remain faithful to their practice of the folly of the cross.
Construction on the Shrine building began in 1930 and was completed in 1931. Fr. Benedict Przemielewski, a friar known to have exquisite taste and a solid knowledge of the history of architecture designed the building. Fr. Benedict visualized the new friary as a miniature Sacro Convento of Assisi, the friary in Italy where St. Francis is buried. For its actual location Fr. Benedict selected the slope of a hill commanding the plain, smaller by far, but somewhat similar to that of Assisi. Originally built to be the Novitiate for the St. Anthony of Padua province, the building was put under the patronage of St. Joseph Cupertino, the Conventual Franciscan friar who is the patron saint of students with difficulty.

The material used for the building was Beaver Dam marble quarried in Cockeysville, Maryland. It was smooth sawed and in random ashlar of about 4 inches and 8 inches, with granite for backing and simple stone trim to bring out its beauty. The reason Beaver Dam marble was selected was for its beauty of texture, and for the warm colors that blend admirably with the surrounding wooded scenery.

The Shrine building today retains its original beauty and splendor though it has been renovated to meet the demands of ministry in the 21st century. The many features and uses of the building are listed below.

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Posted in North America and United States