Shrine of the Holy Relics

Maria Stein Convent
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Road view of the convent complex; the shrine is at far right
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Nearest city	Maria Stein, Ohio
Coordinates	40°24′57″N 84°28′34″W / 40.41583°N 84.47611°W / 40.41583; -84.47611Coordinates: 40°24′57″N 84°28′34″W / 40.41583°N 84.47611°W / 40.41583; -84.47611
Area	23 acres (9.3 ha)
Built	1846
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
MPS	Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio TR (later addition)
NRHP Reference #	76001490[1]
Added to NRHP	May 6, 1976

Mother House and Relic Chapel of the Sisters of the Precious Blood, Maria Stein, Ohio (1923 Postcard)

The Shrine of the Holy Relics in Maria Stein, Ohio is the second largest collection of relics in the United States. It is a part of the historic Maria Stein Convent.

History

The Relic Chapel interior.

Father Francis de Sales Brunner, the missionary who led the Society of the Precious Blood, was a collector of relics. He was responsible for the first collection of relics in Maria Stein. Over the 19th century other relics were added to the core collection as a way of protecting them from the continuous strife of 19th century Italy. In 1892 a separate "relic chapel" was established in which Sisters of the Precious Blood conducted a continuous vigil.

The collection of relics is the second largest in the United States with 1,100 relics, exceeded in number of relics only by Saint Anthony's Chapel in the Troy Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh with five thousand.^[2]

Relics include body parts (usually bones) from saints or objects that belonged to a saint; they are held in high respect because they were individuals who are believed to have led exemplary lives.

The Sacred Heart Relic Chapel is a kaleidoscope of color, 18th and 19th century German carving, and relics distributed throughout. The "relic chapel" is connected to a larger chapel that in turn is the central feature of an interesting 19th century brick convent. A 2007 segment on National Public Radio describes this unique collection of relics.^[3] These relics include a splinter of the true cross and a splinter of bone from St. Peregrine, the patron saint of patients with cancer. Built in 1846, the shrine was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Heritage Museum on the second floor of the convent showcases life during the early years of the community.^[4] Even today southern Mercer County is predominantly Catholic, a reflection of 19th century immigration patterns.^[5]

See also

• Maria Stein Catholic Church and Rectory

References

External links

• Maria Stein Shrine

Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Bishop Edward Fenwick Archbishops John Baptist Purcell William Henry Elder Henry K. Moeller John T. McNicholas Karl Joseph Alter Paul Francis Leibold Joseph Bernardin Daniel Edward Pilarczyk Dennis Marion Schnurr Catholicism portal
Churches in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Cathedral Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral Parishes Cincinnati Church of the Annunciation Immaculata Church Old St. Mary's Church St. Francis De Sales Church Saint Francis Seraph Church St. Francis Xavier Church St. Lawrence Church St. Pius X Church St. Rose Church Dayton Holy Cross Church Sacred Heart Church St. Adalbert Church St. Mary's Church Springfield St. Joseph's Church St. Raphael's Church Other Immaculate Conception Church, Botkins St. Aloysius Church, Carthagena Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Cassella Immaculate Conception Church, Celina Precious Blood Church, Chickasaw St. Joseph's Church, Egypt Holy Family Church, Frenchtown St. John's Church, Fryburg St. Patrick's Church, Glynwood St. John the Baptist Church, Maria Stein Sacred Heart Church, McCartyville St. Michael's Church, Mechanicsburg St. Augustine's Church, Minster St. Louis Church, North Star St. Nicholas Church, Osgood St. Anthony's Church, Padua St. Remy's Church, Russia St. Henry's Church, St. Henry Holy Rosary Church, St. Marys St. Rose's Church, St. Rose St. Sebastian's Church, Sebastian St. Joseph's Church, Wapakoneta Former parishes All Saints Church, Cincinnati Holy Trinity Church, Cincinnati St. Augustine Church, Cincinnati St. George's Church, Cincinnati St. Michael the Archangel Church, Cincinnati St. Paul Church, Cincinnati St. Philomena's Church, Cincinnati St. Patrick's Church, St. Patrick Shrine Shrine of the Holy Relics
Education in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Higher education Chatfield College University of Dayton Edgecliff College Mount St. Joseph University Xavier University Seminary Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West High schools Cincinnati DePaul Cristo Rey High School Elder High School La Salle High School McAuley High School Archbishop McNicholas High School Mother of Mercy High School Purcell Marian High School Seton High School St. Ursula Academy St. Xavier High School Summit Country Day School Ursuline Academy Dayton Carroll High School Chaminade-Julienne High School Other Archbishop Alter High School, Kettering Father Stephen T. Badin High School, Hamilton Catholic Central School, Springfield Bishop Fenwick High School, Franklin Lehman Catholic High School, Sidney Moeller High School, Kenwood Mount Notre Dame High School, Reading Royalmont Academy, Mason Roger Bacon High School, St. Bernard St. Rita School for the Deaf, Evendale
Clergy of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Auxiliary bishops Sylvester Horton Rosecrans Joseph H. Albers George John Rehring Paul Francis Leibold Edward A. McCarthy Nicholas Elko Daniel Edward Pilarczyk James Henry Garland Carl K. Moeddel Joseph R. Binzer Priests John Martin Henni Edward Fitzgerald Clarence George Issenmann Henry Damian Juncker Joshua Maria Young John Baptist Lamy James Frederick Wood John Henry Luers Caspar Henry Borgess Richard Gilmour John Quinlan Augustus Toebbe Joseph Gregory Dwenger Henry Richter Francis Beckman Urban John Vehr Francis Augustine Thill Anthony John King Mussio John Joseph Kaising Robert Daniel Conlon Michael William Warfel
Miscellany	The Catholic Telegraph Der Wahrheitsfreund Former St. Charles Seminary Gruenwald Convent Minster Elementary School St. John Cemetery, Cincinnati New St. Joseph Cemetery, Cincinnati Old St. Joseph's Cemetery, Cincinnati
Catholicism portal Cincinnati portal

National Register of Historic Places in Mercer County, Ohio
Historic district	Celina Main Street Commercial Historic District
Other properties	Cassella Catholic Church and Rectory Chickasaw School and Rectory Coldwater Catholic Church Complex Fort Recovery Site Matthias Gast House and General Store Sen. Thomas J. Godfrey House Grand Lake St. Marys Lighthouse Gruenwald Convent Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Complex Maria Stein Catholic Church and Rectory Maria Stein Convent Mendon Town Hall Otis Hospital Philothea Catholic Church and Priest House Calvin E. Riley House St. Aloysius Catholic Church St. Anthony Catholic Church, Padua St. Bernard Catholic Church and Rectory St. Charles Seminary and Chapel St. Francis Catholic Church and Rectory St. Henry Catholic Church St. Joseph Catholic Church and Rectory St. Paul's Catholic Church and Rectory St. Peter Catholic Church and Rectory St. Rose Catholic Church Complex St. Sebastian Catholic Church and Rectory St. Wendelin Catholic Church, School, and Rectory Wallischeck Homestead
See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer County, Ohio and List of National Historic Landmarks in Ohio

Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
Churches	Holy Family Holy Rosary Coldwater Catholic Church Complex Immaculate Conception Nativity of the Virgin St. Aloysius St. Anthony St. Augustine St. Bernard St. Francis St. Henry St. John St. John the Baptist St. Joseph (Egypt) St. Joseph (St. Joe) St. Joseph (Wapakoneta) St. Louis St. Mary St. Michael St. Nicholas St. Patrick (Glynwood) St. Patrick (St. Patrick) St. Paul St. Peter St. Remy St. Rose St. Sebastian St. Wendelin
Other buildings	Botkins Elementary School Chickasaw School and Rectory Gruenwald Convent Immaculate Conception Rectory Maria Stein Convent Minster Elementary School Sacred Heart of Jesus Rectory St. Charles Seminary and Chapel