Stephanie Camello's Top 10 Catholic Shrines in the U.S.

 If you love visiting different Catholic Shrines across the U.S., then this post is for you! There are dozens of amazing Catholic shrines across the U.S. but here are Stephanie Camello's top 10!

1) Santa Fe, New Mexico - The Loretto Chapel - according to the church's legend, "three mysteries surround the spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel: the identity of its builder, the type of wood used, and the physics of its construction." This shrine's chapel contains the miracle staircase that was believed to be built by St. Joseph . . . in the 1870s! 

2) Portland, Oregon - National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother - this shrine is a complete outdoor grotto with several statues, flowers and chapels to make your pilgrimage one of peace, tranquility and prayer!

3) Ilse de la Motte, Vermont - Shrine of Saint Anne - this shrine is dedicated solely to the Blessed Virgin Mary's mother, Saint Anne. St. Anne also happens to be the patroness of the state of Vermont, so this shrine seems fitting to be in Vermont!

4) Champion, Wisconsin - Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help - this one is special because it's the only Marian approved apparition site in the U.S.!

5) Indian River, Michigan - National Shrine of the Cross in the Woods - this special shrine contains a huge 7-ton bronze crucifix right in the middle of the woods. This outdoor shrine also has 6 mini-shrines surrounding it: St. Francis, Our Lady of the Highway, St. Peregrine, the Holy Family, Fr. McGivney and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

6) Doylestown, Pennsylvania - National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa - Our Lady of Czestochowa is a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus that has been associated with Poland for over 600 years. There are numerous legends about where it originally came from, so go visit the shrine to learn all about it!

7) St. Paul, Minnesota - National Shrine of the Apostle Paul - pilgrims who visit here get the same spiritual benefits as if they were to visit the tomb of the Apostle Paul in Rome!

8) Golden, Colorado - Mother Cabrini Shrine - this one has an interesting story involving Mother Cabrini. She was having an orphanage made but needed a water source to build it around, so she told the workers to dig under this one rock and it sprung a creek that fills an 8,000 gallon tank that has never stopped running since 1912!

9) Juneau, Alaska - Shrine of St. Therese - this is another shrine that is fitting for its location. St. There is the patron saint of Alaska, missionaries and the Diocese of Juneau!

10) St. Louis, Missouri - Shrine of St. Joseph - this one requires you to go there to learn about the miracles that took place in the name of St. Joseph, but one of them involves a worker who got injured and then was miraculously and quickly healed under the intercession of St. Joseph!

BONUS: Washington D.C. - National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception - this is the largest church in North America which is dedicated to pilgrimage and prayer. The Immaculate Conception is actually the patron saint of the United States, so it's very fitting that this shrine resides at the U.S. capitol!