About Saint John Paul II National Shrine · Washington, District of Columbia
The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is a national Catholic shrine in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C., sponsored and operated by the Knights of Columbus. Located at 3900 Harewood Road NE on a 12-acre site adjacent to The Catholic University of America and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, it houses a first-class relic of St. John Paul II's blood, a major permanent exhibit titled A Gift of Love: The Life of Saint John Paul II, and two liturgical spaces — the Redemptor Hominis Church and the Luminous Mysteries Chapel. Designated a national shrine by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on March 14, 2014, it welcomes tens of thousands of pilgrims annually for daily Mass, confession, adoration, and the Divine Mercy devotion promoted by the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy from Kraków who are assigned to the Shrine.
- Established
- 2011
- Patron
- Saint John Paul II
- Rector
- Fr. Bill Ferguson (Chaplain)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is the only national shrine in the United States dedicated to St. John Paul II and offers a rare combination of daily liturgy, Eucharistic adoration, confession in both English and Spanish, the veneration of a first-class blood relic, a major permanent exhibit on the life and papacy of John Paul II, and a thriving Divine Mercy apostolate staffed by sisters from St. Faustina's own order in Kraków. Pilgrims and visitors are welcomed to daily noon Mass, Sunday Masses in English and Spanish, the Hour of Mercy chaplet at 3:00 p.m. led by the Sisters of Divine Mercy, group tours, school and family programs, young adult events, retreats, and small-group faith discussions — all free of charge, with free parking on a 12-acre site adjacent to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and The Catholic University of America.
Mass times at Saint John Paul II National Shrine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. (English)
- Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Español)
- Sunday: 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (English)
Adoration times
- Sunday: Adoration immediately following the 2:00 p.m. (English) Mass, leading into the 3:00 p.m. Hour of Mercy and Divine Mercy Chaplet
About the Saint John Paul II National Shrine
The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is a place of worship, religious formation, and cultural renewal to feed the minds and souls of its visitors. Through liturgy and prayer, art, cultural events, and religious celebrations, pilgrims enter into St. John Paul II's deep love for God and for man. The Shrine was conceived as a response to John Paul II's call for a 'new evangelization,' repeated by Popes Benedict XVI and Francis, and aims to be a place of genuine encounter with God that leads to renewal of individuals, families, societies, and cultures. It is a major pastoral initiative of the Knights of Columbus, which has nearly two million members worldwide.
- Designated a national shrine by the USCCB on March 14, 2014
- Operated by the Knights of Columbus since 2011
- Sister initiative of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, just blocks away
History of the Building and Shrine
The 12-acre Brookland site was personally selected by Pope John Paul II, who called Washington, D.C. 'the crossroads of the Third Millennium.' The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center opened on the site in March 2001, the brainchild of Archbishop Adam Maida of Detroit, designed by LEO A DALY and Edwin Schlossberg, Inc. After closing in the wake of 9/11 and a stalled economy, the building was acquired by the Knights of Columbus in 2011 for $22.7 million and transformed over the next five years into the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. The Shrine was elevated to national status by the USCCB on the day of John Paul II's canonization, April 14, 2014.
- 1989 — Idea conceived at meeting between John Paul II and Bishop Adam Maida
- 2001 — Pope John Paul II Cultural Center opens
- 2010 — Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist consider purchase, then decline
- August 2, 2011 — Knights of Columbus announces acquisition; Cardinal Wuerl declares it a diocesan shrine
- April 14, 2014 — USCCB elevates to national shrine; John Paul II canonized by Pope Francis
- October 2016 — Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy from Kraków assigned to Shrine
Worship: Redemptor Hominis Church
The Shrine's principal church, Redemptor Hominis Church, is named for Pope John Paul II's 1979 first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis ("Redeemer of Man"). It seats up to 500 people and is decorated with mosaics drawn in place and hand-laid by 27 Italian artisans. The Italian-marble ambo, altar, and presider's chair were sculpted by artist Edoardo Ferrari. The ambo illustrates the women going to embalm Christ's body, hurrying from the empty tomb toward the main altar on which the Apostles are carved. The altar contains relics of saints beatified or canonized by John Paul II: St. François de Laval, St. José María Robles Hurtado, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. John Neumann, and St. Junípero Serra.
- Daily Mass at 12:00 p.m. (Mon–Sat)
- Sunday Mass at 2:00 p.m. (English) followed by Adoration and the Hour of Mercy
Worship: Luminous Mysteries Chapel
The 50-seat Luminous Mysteries Chapel provides an intimate space for encounter with St. John Paul II. The walls are covered with mosaics depicting the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, which John Paul II added in 2002. Each mystery corresponds to a scriptural scene illustrating how Christ has liberated humanity from darkness. The chapel altar was carved from the same block of Italian marble as the Redemptor Hominis Church altar, but with one significant change: the figure of St. Peter is replaced by a first-class relic of St. John Paul II embedded in the marble. The altar also contains relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Albert Chmielowski, St. Faustina Kowalska, and St. Gianna Beretta Molla.
- Veneration of the first-class blood relic of St. John Paul II
- Sunday 11:00 a.m. Mass in Spanish
Relics of St. John Paul II
Pilgrims may venerate a first-class relic of St. John Paul II's blood contained in a glass ampoule at the center of an ornate reliquary in the Luminous Mysteries Chapel. The relic was a gift to Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson from Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, then-Archbishop of Kraków and John Paul II's longtime personal secretary. A second relic — a piece of the blood-stained cassock worn by John Paul II on the day of the May 13, 1981 assassination attempt in St. Peter's Square — is also housed at the Shrine for veneration. By venerating these relics, pilgrims seek the saint's intercession and obtain spiritual strength to imitate his witness.
- First-class blood relic in glass ampoule
- Relic of the blood-stained cassock from the 1981 assassination attempt
Divine Mercy Apostolate and the Hour of Mercy
Since October 2016, the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy — the Kraków-based congregation of St. Faustina Kowalska — have been assigned to the Shrine to promote the Divine Mercy devotion. Each day at 3:00 p.m., the Hour of Mercy (the time of Christ's death on the cross), the Sisters lead a meditation on Divine Mercy and the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The Sisters also give spiritual talks for pilgrim groups and provide spiritual accompaniment to visitors. A plenary indulgence is available to pilgrims under the conditions set out in the Shrine's Plenary Indulgence Guide.
- Daily 3:00 p.m. Hour of Mercy with the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
- Spiritual talks for groups by the Sisters
- Plenary Indulgence available
A Gift of Love: The Permanent Exhibit
A Gift of Love: The Life of Saint John Paul II is a world-class, 16,000-square-foot permanent exhibit that immerses visitors in the life and teaching of the Polish pope. Originally designed as the Cultural Center's interactive museum by Edwin Schlossberg, Inc., the exhibit was re-imagined by the Knights of Columbus during the 2014–2016 renovation. It leads visitors through the saint's early years, the maturing of his vocation, the major events of his 26-year papacy, and his enduring legacy. The exhibit is self-guided, interactive, and engaging, and is the focal point of the Shrine's educational and cultural mission.
- 16,000 sq. ft. permanent exhibit
- Self-guided, interactive, and engaging
- Student guides and educator resources available
Pilgrimages, Groups, and Visitor Services
The Shrine welcomes tens of thousands of pilgrims annually. Group visits can be arranged by submitting the Group Tour Form, and may include guided exhibit tours, private Mass with the group's own priest, confession, spiritual talks by the Sisters of Divine Mercy, and special programs for school and youth groups. Seating is available for groups to eat a packed lunch or receive catered deliveries, and the expansive front lawn accommodates picnics. There is no admission fee, and free parking is available for cars and buses.
- Group Tour Form available on website
- Special programs for school and youth groups
- Free parking for cars and buses
Ministries, Retreats, and Faith Formation
The Shrine hosts ongoing ministries and faith-formation programs for adults, young adults, families, and Spanish-speaking communities. These include the Restored in Christ half-day family retreat (offered in English and Spanish), Rich in Mercy small-group discussions of John Paul II's encyclical Dives in Misericordia, women's small-group faith discussions, Discusión en grupos (Spanish-language small-group discussions), the Young Adult Ministry & Mixer, Evenings with the Merciful Jesus, and Domestic Church Day. Resources for students and educators include free student guides, a St. John Paul II-themed word-hunt game, educator FAQs, and fact sheets.
- Restored in Christ family retreat (English/Spanish)
- Rich in Mercy small-group series
- Young Adult Ministry & Mixer
- Discusión en grupos (Spanish small groups)
- Evenings with the Merciful Jesus
- Domestic Church Day
Intercultural Ministry
Under the direction of Sofía Maurette, Ph.D., the Shrine's Intercultural Ministry oversees the effective inculturation of the Gospel and of St. John Paul II's teachings to visitors and pilgrims of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The ministry promotes an intercultural approach in the Shrine's religious and cultural offerings, its services to visitors, and within its staff and employees, reflecting the universality of the Catholic Church and the rich cultural diversity of its members. The Shrine offers Sunday Mass and faith-formation programs in both English and Spanish.
- Sunday Spanish-language Mass at 11:00 a.m.
- Spanish-language confession, small groups, and family retreat
- Intercultural programming for diverse visitors
Leadership and Staff
The Shrine is led by an Executive Director and staffed by directors overseeing Mission and Ministry, Outreach and Visitor Services, Operations, Communications and Marketing, and Intercultural Ministry. The chaplain, Fr. Bill Ferguson, is a priest of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, ordained in 2006, certified in Theology of the Body from the TOB Institute, and involved in healing ministries including post-abortion recovery, deliverance ministry, and the Courage and EnCourage apostolates. The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy are an integral part of the Shrine's pastoral team, promoting devotion to Divine Mercy.
- Executive Director (Anthony R. Picarello Jr., per the Shrine's leadership page)
- Chaplain: Fr. Bill Ferguson
- Director of Operations: Peter Gervais
- Director of Mission and Ministry: Thomas W. Burnford, D.Min.
- Director of Outreach and Visitor Services: Ann Robertson
- Associate Director of Communications and Marketing: Stephen P. White
- Director of Intercultural Ministry: Sofía Maurette, Ph.D.
- Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy (Kraków)
Architecture and Construction
The Shrine is housed in a four-level, 130,000-square-foot reinforced concrete building clad in limestone, copper, and glass, designed by LEO A DALY. The 2014–2016 renovation by Whiting-Turner Contracting Company added a 3,600-square-foot second-story structure for the church and chapel, with the 9,000-pound Italian marble altar delivered by custom trolley. Mosaics were hand-laid by 27 Italian artisans; light fixture shades were hand-painted in Croatia; and much of the artistic stonework and marble was fabricated in Italy before being shipped to Washington for installation. The site includes 12 acres of gardens and lawn adjacent to The Catholic University of America.
- Original architect: LEO A DALY (with Edwin Schlossberg, Inc. for exhibits)
- Renovation contractor: Whiting-Turner
- Marble carved in Italy by Edoardo Ferrari
- 130,000 sq. ft. on 12 acres
Hours, Location, and Visiting
The Shrine is open daily with no admission fee. Hours are Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The exhibit and gift shop follow the same hours. The Shrine is located at 3900 Harewood Road NE, Washington, DC 20017, in the Brookland neighborhood, adjacent to The Catholic University of America and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The Brookland–CUA Metro station (Red Line) is within walking distance, and free parking is available for cars and buses. The building is fully handicap accessible.
- Open daily, free admission
- Brookland–CUA Metro (Red Line)
- Free parking for cars and buses
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Bill FergusonPresent chaplain
Priest of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, ordained in 2006; certified in Theology of the Body from the TOB Institute; involved in healing ministries including post-abortion recovery, deliverance ministry, and Courage/EnCourage.
- Anthony R. Picarello Jr.Executive Director
Led the staff of the Shrine as a major pastoral initiative of the Knights of Columbus.
