About Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America · Washington, District of Columbia
The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America is a 42-acre Franciscan complex located at 14th and Quincy Streets in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C., a Catholic area affectionately known as 'Little Rome.' Run by friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, the monastery serves as the U.S. home of the Holy Land Franciscans, who have cared for the sacred shrines of the Holy Land for more than 800 years on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church. The complex is anchored by the Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulcher and includes century-old gardens, full-sized replicas of shrines from the Holy Land, a replica of the Roman catacombs, the Rosary Portico, and a working vegetable garden that donates produce to the poor. More than 50,000 tourists and pilgrims visit annually, and the site welcomes daily Mass, scheduled confessions, retreat hermitages, concerts, and educational programs.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- The Holy Sepulcher of Christ (the Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulcher)
- Rector
- Fr. John Puodziunas, OFM (Commissary of the Holy Land)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
The Franciscan Monastery is a working friary and a national shrine — daily Mass, hourly confessions, the St. Anthony novena, a Lourdes Grotto, and the Rosary Portico create a contemplative rhythm of prayer that draws Catholics who want a 'Little Jerusalem' in their own backyard. Its 42 acres of gardens, replicas of Holy Land shrines, and replica catacombs serve both as a pilgrimage site for those who cannot travel to the Holy Land and as a place of outreach: the vegetable garden donates 5,000–6,000 pounds of produce a year to the poor. Visitors and pilgrims, concertgoers, retreatants in the on-site hermitage, and volunteers in the gardens all find a place here to worship, learn, and serve the Franciscan mission of sustaining Christians in the Holy Land.
Mass times at Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday through Saturday, on the hour at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
History of the Monastery
The Franciscan Monastery is the U.S. home of the Holy Land Franciscans, who have cared for the people and sacred shrines of the Holy Land for more than 800 years. The story began in 1880 when Fr. Charles A. Vassani, OFM established the U.S. Commissariat of the Holy Land in New York, then moved to a wooded hilltop in Brookland in 1897 when Fr. Godfrey Schilling purchased the McCeeney Estate. Six pioneer Franciscans moved into the abandoned house and began building what would become a national shrine.
- 1880 — Fr. Vassani founds the U.S. Commissariat of the Holy Land in New York City
- 1897 — Fr. Godfrey Schilling purchases the McCeeney Estate in Brookland
- February 1898 — Ground broken for the new monastery and church
- March 19, 1898 — Cornerstone laid on the Feast of St. Joseph
- 1899 — Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulcher completed
- September 1924 — Church consecrated on the 25th anniversary of its dedication
- January 17, 1992 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2022 — Designated by the Archdiocese of Washington as the sole city location for Sunday Tridentine Mass
- September 22, 2024 — 125th anniversary Mass concelebrated by Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory
Our Mission and the Custody of the Holy Land
The Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C. is a national shrine that sustains the 800-year mission of the Franciscan Friars in the Holy Land by serving as a 'Little Jerusalem' in America. It serves American Holy Land pilgrims through education, fundraising, recruiting vocations, promoting pilgrimages, and providing pastoral ministry locally to religious, lay Catholics, and all of good will. The Custody of the Holy Land was entrusted to the Franciscans by the Roman Catholic Church to safeguard the Christian holy places, care for the local Christian community, and serve refugees and the needy throughout the region.
- Sustains 800 years of Franciscan presence in the Holy Land
- Educates Americans about the Holy Land and its shrinking Christian population
- Raises funds to support the Custody's shrines, schools, and parishes
- Recruits and forms new friars for the Custody
- Provides pastoral ministry to visitors and the local Brookland community
Sacraments
Daily Mass and regular confessions are the backbone of the monastery's sacramental life. The friars also celebrate baptisms, marriages, and other sacraments for those who request them through the monastery office.
- Daily Mass
- Confessions six times a day, Monday through Saturday
- Baptism, Marriage, and other sacraments available on request
Architecture and Holy Land Replicas
The Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulcher is one of the finest examples of Neo-Byzantine architecture in the United States, designed by Roman architect Aristide Leonori and inspired by the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Its floor plan is shaped loosely like the fivefold Jerusalem cross, and a bronze baldachin over the altar rests on four columns adorned with statues of the Twelve Apostles. The surrounding Rosary Portico, designed by John Joseph Earley, contains fifteen chapels depicting the mysteries of the Rosary with ceramic plaques of the Hail Mary in nearly 200 languages.
- Neo-Byzantine style with Romanesque influences
- Architect: Aristide Leonori (1856–1928)
- Rosary Portico architect: John Joseph Earley
- Rosary Portico modeled on the Cloister of St. John Lateran and St. Paul's Outside the Walls
- Catacombs replica with Papal endorsement
- Lourdes Grotto and replica of the Porziuncola on the grounds
- Relics of Saint Benignus of Armagh housed in the monastery
Gardens and Outdoor Shrines
Sprawling across 42 acres, the monastery's century-old gardens include full-sized replicas of shrines from the Holy Land — including the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Garden of Gethsemane, and more — along with native plants and roses. The grounds also feature a working vegetable garden that donates 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of produce each year to the city's poor. Volunteers are welcome to help tend the gardens.
- 42 acres in the Brookland neighborhood
- Full-sized replicas of Holy Land shrines
- Working vegetable garden supporting the poor
- Volunteer gardening opportunities
- Recreation trail through the gardens
- Gardens close daily at 4:45 p.m.
Pilgrimages to the Holy Land
The monastery's Pilgrimage Office, directed by Fr. David Wathen, OFM, organizes and leads pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Fr. Wathen has served in the lands of the Bible as a spiritual leader of pilgrimages since being appointed director of the office in 2007, accompanying groups through the sacred shrines of Israel, Palestine, and Jordan.
- Director: Fr. David Wathen, OFM
- Pilgrimages to the Holy Land arranged through the Washington office
- Pastoral accompaniment and spiritual direction for pilgrims
- Office located at the Franciscan Monastery in Brookland
Visit, Tours, and Events
The Franciscan Monastery has been named one of the Top 5 places most tourists miss when sightseeing in Washington, D.C. Self-guided and guided tours of the church, catacombs, stained-glass windows, and seasonal garden tours are offered free of charge, with donations appreciated. A virtual tour is available online for those who cannot visit in person. St. Francis Hall and other meeting spaces with Wi-Fi and videoconferencing are available for events of up to 250 guests.
- Free guided and self-guided tours (donations appreciated)
- Seasonal garden tours
- Virtual tour via interactive map
- Concerts and special programs throughout the year
- St. Francis Hall event space for up to 250 guests
- Contact: [email protected] / 202-526-6800
Hermitage Retreats
The Monastery operates a hermitage retreat space on its grounds for individual retreats. Guests stay in a separate building with a private sleeping area, kitchen, and cooking utensils; meals are self-prepared. Mass and confession are offered daily, and guests are invited to spend time in contemplation in the historic church, Alverna Chapel, gardens, and shrines of the Holy Land and Lourdes. The hermitage is wheelchair accessible.
- Individual retreat hermitage on monastery grounds
- Daily Mass and confession available
- Access to church, Alverna Chapel, gardens, Holy Land shrines, and Lourdes Grotto
- Wheelchair accessible
- Guests prepare their own meals
Leadership and Governance
The monastery is led by the Commissary of the Holy Land, currently Fr. John Puodziunas, OFM, who succeeded Fr. David Grenier, OFM in 2024. The Commissary serves as a vital bridge between the United States and the Custody of the Holy Land. Governance is shared through the Commissariat of the Holy Land Board, the Franciscan Monastery Corporate Board, and an Honorary Board that includes Cardinal Robert McElroy, Bishops Michael F. Burbidge and William E. Lori, Most Rev. Francesco Ielpo OFM (Chair), Justice Samuel Alito and his wife Martha-Ann, and other civic and Church leaders.
- Commissary of the Holy Land — Fr. John Puodziunas, OFM (since 2024)
- Commissariat of the Holy Land Board chaired by Most Rev. Francesco Ielpo, OFM
- Honorary Board co-chairs: Most Rev. Denis J. Madden and Most Rev. Paul S. Loverde
- Honorary board members include Cardinal Robert McElroy, Bishop Burbidge, Bishop Lori, and Justice Samuel Alito
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Godfrey Schilling, OFM1897–1934
Founding friar; purchased the McCeeney Estate in Brookland in 1897 and oversaw the building of the monastery and the Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
- Fr. David Grenier, OFMc. 2017–2024
Commissary of the Holy Land in Washington; served for nearly seven years before being succeeded by Fr. Puodziunas.
- Fr. Ramzi Sidawi, OFMc. 2021–2024
Guardian of the Washington monastery; Jerusalem native; concelebrated the 125th anniversary Mass in September 2024.
- Fr. John Puodziunas, OFM2024–present
Current Commissary of the Holy Land. Born in Philadelphia to Lithuanian refugee parents; entered the Order in 1980, ordained 1987; previously served as Provincial Treasurer, Provincial Vicar, Provincial Minister, and General Economo (2015–2024); holds a degree from Marquette and an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School.