Peace of History: You Must See Old St. Ferdinand Shrine
We visited Old St. Ferdinand Shrine on a sunny Saturday morning as part of a parish field trip of sorts. We had mass in the church, followed by donuts and coffee in the quaint old school building and tours of the property.
Now I’ve been on a six week tour of Spain and seen first hand (literally) how the Spaniards love to display their saintly relics. Europe has an embarrassment of riches in this regard, and I saw body parts, fully-preserved incorrupt corpses, and every degree of personal items on our many visits to cathedrals, monasteries and religious sites. So, you can imagine my surprise when I experienced a stash of saintly treasure that would make an old-world monarch take notice, located just a few miles from my dad’s house in north St. Louis.
I wasn’t prepared to take in all of the history and sanctity that makes Old St. Ferdinand Shrine a true treasure for our city and our global church. Just a few of the many highlights were:
- the actual home of St. Rose Philippine Duschene, with her actual furniture and dishes and the closet she slept in! It’s a glimpse of the simple living and brave pioneering of one of the most influential women in our church’s history and I could feel her presence there.
- relics of St. Valentine, gifted from the King of France to Bishop DuBourg, encased in the striking sight of a full-size wax figure of the Saint are enclosed behind glass under the main altar.
- the cope worn by Father Pierre De Smet that was sewn by Saint Rose Phillipine Duschene on display in the rectory is probably the holiest and most significant articles of clothing I’ve ever laid eyes on.
- the nun doll collection and schoolhouse bookstore are definitely one-of-a-kind but I was absolutely floored by the unassuming and out of the way relic room with wall after wall lined with curios displaying relics of seemingly every Saint in the catholic cannon dating back to Christ himself. It was overwhelming in a good way.
Being the oldest Catholic church between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains makes this hallowed ground. Being the home of our first ordained North American saint makes it a historical treasure. As the site of the ordination of Catholic Jesuit hero Father Pierre De Smet, it’s charged with emotional significance for our city and for the Jesuit order. The steady stream of pioneers, dignitaries and leaders who frequented, prayed and served at this site over hundreds of years ensures a legacy of meaning for so many people from all over the world. And as the home of hundreds of saintly relics, it is a holy and peaceful place of prayer.
There is so much to discover at Old St. Ferdinand Shrine. I’m looking forward to my next trip!
Visit the Shrine in person and let me know what you liked best. And visit the virtual site online anytime at https://www.oldstferdinandshrine.com/about-the-shrine
I wasn’t prepared to take in all of the history and sanctity that makes Old St. Ferdinand Shrine a true treasure for our city and our global church. Just a few of the many highlights were:
- the actual home of St. Rose Philippine Duschene, with her actual furniture and dishes and the closet she slept in! It’s a glimpse of the simple living and brave pioneering of one of the most influential women in our church’s history and I could feel her presence there.
- relics of St. Valentine, gifted from the King of France to Bishop DuBourg, encased in the striking sight of a full-size wax figure of the Saint are enclosed behind glass under the main altar.
- the cope worn by Father Pierre De Smet that was sewn by Saint Rose Phillipine Duschene on display in the rectory is probably the holiest and most significant articles of clothing I’ve ever laid eyes on.
- the nun doll collection and schoolhouse bookstore are definitely one-of-a-kind but I was absolutely floored by the unassuming and out of the way relic room with wall after wall lined with curios displaying relics of seemingly every Saint in the catholic cannon dating back to Christ himself. It was overwhelming in a good way.
Being the oldest Catholic church between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains makes this hallowed ground. Being the home of our first ordained North American saint makes it a historical treasure. As the site of the ordination of Catholic Jesuit hero Father Pierre De Smet, it’s charged with emotional significance for our city and for the Jesuit order. The steady stream of pioneers, dignitaries and leaders who frequented, prayed and served at this site over hundreds of years ensures a legacy of meaning for so many people from all over the world. And as the home of hundreds of saintly relics, it is a holy and peaceful place of prayer.
There is so much to discover at Old St. Ferdinand Shrine. I’m looking forward to my next trip!
Visit the Shrine in person and let me know what you liked best. And visit the virtual site online anytime at https://www.oldstferdinandshrine.com/about-the-shrine
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