About Shrine of the Holy Relics · Maria Stein, Ohio
The Shrine of the Holy Relics in Maria Stein, Ohio, is one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in the American Midwest, housing the second-largest public collection of Catholic relics in the United States. Founded in 1875 when Father J.M. Gartner entrusted his collection to the Sisters of the Precious Blood, the Shrine today contains more than 1,200 relics — 95% of them First Class — including five relics of the True Cross and the bodily remains of St. Victoria. Set within a Gothic Revival 1846 convent complex that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, the Shrine welcomes pilgrims of all faiths to a Relic Chapel (1892), a Heritage Museum, a Pilgrim Gift Shop, and the Adoration Chapel on nearly 30 acres of landscaped grounds in the heart of the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches.
- Established
- 1875
- Patron
- Saints represented by the relics; prominently the True Cross, St. Victoria, St. Peregrine, and St. Ursula and Companions
- Rector
- Rev. Kenneth (Gene) Schnipke, C.PP.S. (Pastor of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the neighboring parish that shares responsibility for liturgical ministry at the Shrine)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
The Shrine is not a territorial parish but a pilgrimage destination and house of prayer — a place to step away from the busyness of life for an hour, a day, or a retreat. Visitors are drawn by 1,200 relics of the saints, five relics of the True Cross, the rare chance to venerate the wax-covered remains of St. Victoria, and a continuous tradition of Eucharistic Adoration (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with extended hours on the first Thursday of each month). The Shrine also runs a robust calendar of seasonal devotions — Stations and Soup in Lent, the Burial of the Alleluia on Shrove Tuesday, the St. Peregrine Cancer Prayer Service, the Blue Mass for first responders, Mother's Day tours, Heritage Day, and CountryFest — and welcomes school groups, RCIA and CCD classes, and archdiocesan Jubilee pilgrims throughout the year.
Mass times at Shrine of the Holy Relics
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (before the 10:00 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- First Thursday of each month 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Continuous vigil by the Sisters of the Precious Blood in the Adoration Chapel (traditional)
History of the Maria Stein Shrine
The Shrine traces its roots to 1846, when Father Francis de Sales Brunner founded the third of ten Precious Blood convents in the New World on this rural Ohio site. From a small 1860 convent chapel housing Brunner's personal relic collection, the property grew through the 1892 Relic Chapel, the 1901 Motherhouse, and the late-twentieth-century Maria Stein Center. The 1875 transfer of Father J.M. Gartner's 175 Roman relics to the Sisters of the Precious Blood created the formal Shrine of the Holy Relics. After the 1887 separation of men's and women's branches of the order, the women — under their first Mother General, Mother Mary Kunegunda — continued to care for the collection. The Sisters of the Precious Blood maintained the ministry for 142 years before transferring the land deed to a lay Board of Directors on December 8, 2017.
- 1846 — Father Francis de Sales Brunner founds the Maria Stein convent as the third of his ten U.S. Precious Blood foundations.
- 1872 — Father J.M. Gartner acquires 175 relics in Rome and brings them to America.
- 1875 — Gartner's collection is entrusted to the Sisters of the Precious Blood, creating the Shrine of the Holy Relics.
- 1887 — Vatican separates men's and women's Precious Blood communities; Mother Mary Kunegunda becomes first Mother General.
- 1892 — Two new chapels built to accommodate pilgrims: the Sisters' chapel and the smaller Relic Chapel.
- 1901 — A new, larger Motherhouse is completed; it now houses the Heritage Museum, Gift Shop, and Shrine offices.
- Late 1990s — Older outbuildings and the men's gatehouse are razed; the Maria Stein Center splits into a retreat house and the Shrine.
- 2015 — The 1,400-square-foot Heritage Museum reopens in June after extensive renovation, presenting six galleries.
- 2016 — Sisters of the Precious Blood announce their plan to transfer the Shrine to lay leadership.
- December 8, 2017 — Land deed signed over to a lay Board of Directors in the Adoration Chapel.
- June 13, 2022 — Mark Travis begins as Executive Director, succeeding the retiring Don Rosenbeck.
The Relic Chapel
Built in 1892 to relieve overcrowding in the original 1860 convent chapel, the Relic Chapel is the devotional heart of the Shrine. The small, kaleidoscopic sanctuary is filled with 18th- and 19th-century German hand-carved woodwork, four stained-glass windows imported from Munich, Germany, and the hand-carved altar that houses more than 1,200 relics — 95% of them First Class. The main glass altar focuses on a Relic of the True Cross; the former tabernacle still holds two relics that can be taken down for prayer — a second True Cross relic and a relic of St. Peregrine, the patron saint of those with cancer. The Sorrowful Mother altar features the relics of St. Ursula and her companions at its base; the Sacred Heart altar on the right contains the wax-covered bodily remains of St. Victoria, a third-century martyr.
- Main glass altar — houses the relics brought by Father Brunner and the central relic of the True Cross.
- Sorrowful Mother altar — base holds the relics of St. Ursula and her companions.
- Sacred Heart altar — contains the remains of St. Victoria, an early Church martyr (c. 304).
- St. Gaspar case and Memorial case — east-wall display cases for more recently acquired relics in thematic clusters.
- Four stained-glass windows from Munich, Germany.
- Hand-carved woodwork throughout.
The Heritage Museum
Housed on the second floor of the 1901 Motherhouse, the 1,400-square-foot Heritage Museum reopened in June 2015 following an extensive renovation. Six distinct galleries interpret the early settlement of southern Auglaize and Mercer counties by German-descended Roman Catholic pioneers and highlight the history of the Sisters of the Precious Blood and their cultural contributions to the region. Donations are gratefully accepted. The museum is open during regular Shrine hours and is a popular stop for school, RCIA, CCD, and tour groups.
- Six galleries on the German Catholic settlement of southern Auglaize and Mercer counties.
- Special focus on the Sisters of the Precious Blood and their cultural contributions.
- Reopened June 2015 after extensive renovation.
- Free-will donations accepted; group tours available.
Pilgrim Gift Shop & The Upper Room
The Pilgrim Gift Shop on the first floor of the 1901 Motherhouse offers religious articles, sacramental gifts, and pilgrimage keepsakes. Many items — including Remembrance/Memorial products delivered to local funeral homes — are also available online at pilgrimgiftshop.com. The new 1,400-square-foot Upper Room on the third floor hosts larger groups, retreats, and community events such as the Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner and the Behind the Shrine dinner-and-tour. The Upper Room is fully accessible by elevator.
- Pilgrim Gift Shop — first floor, staffed largely by volunteers.
- Online store: pilgrimgiftshop.com (Remembrance and Memorial items, religious articles).
- The Upper Room — 1,400 sq. ft. event space on the third floor with elevator access.
- Used for community meals, Behind the Shrine tours, and seasonal gatherings.
The Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
The Shrine sits in the geographic heart of the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches, a rural region in western Ohio — chiefly in Mercer and Auglaize counties — named for the dense concentration of large Catholic churches with steeples topped by gilded crosses. Most of the Gothic Revival churches were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries under the oversight of Father Francis de Sales Brunner and the builder Anton DeCurtins. Since 1925 only one new parish has been established in the area. The Land is now a designated State Scenic Byway with an Ohio Department of Transportation interactive map, and a multi-church pilgrimage is one of the most popular ways to visit the Shrine.
- State-designated scenic byway in western Ohio.
- Centered on Mercer and Auglaize counties.
- Churches built by the Precious Blood missionaries under Father Francis de Sales Brunner.
- Most Gothic Revival churches built by builder Anton DeCurtins or his descendants.
- Ohio DOT interactive map available for pilgrimage planning.
Events, Pilgrimages & Seasonal Devotions
The Shrine maintains a year-round calendar of pilgrimages, devotions, and community events. The Shrine is one of three official Archdiocese of Cincinnati Jubilee 2025 pilgrimage sites, designated by Archbishop Emeritus Dennis Schnurr, and is on the Diocese of Covington's regional Jubilee pilgrimage route. Recurring events include Stations and Soup each Friday in Lent, the Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner and Burial of the Alleluia, the St. Peregrine Cancer Prayer Service, the St. Dymphna Prayer Service, the Blue Mass for First Responders, Mother's Day Tours, Heritage Day in September, CountryFest in June, and the Behind the Shrine dinner-and-tour. School, RCIA, and CCD groups visit throughout the year; in 2017 alone, more than 130 students from St. John School in Delphos, Ohio, made a pilgrimage to the Shrine.
- Jubilee 2025 official pilgrimage site (Archdiocese of Cincinnati).
- Covington regional Jubilee pilgrimage stop (November 22, 2025, with Bishop John Iffert).
- Stations and Soup — every Friday in Lent (excluding Good Friday), 11:45 AM.
- Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner & Burial of the Alleluia.
- St. Peregrine Cancer Prayer Service, St. Dymphna, St. Monica, Prayers for the Heart.
- Behind the Shrine Dinner & Tour (adults-only, special access to non-public areas).
- CountryFest tractor parade and tractor pull (June).
- Heritage Day (September 23).
- Art Show & Sale (late June).
- Blue Mass for First Responders (May).
Visiting Hours, Address & Contact
The Shrine, Heritage Museum, and Pilgrim Gift Shop are open Monday through Thursday 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM, and Sunday 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM. The Shrine is at 2291 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein, Ohio 45860; phone (419) 925-4532; email [email protected]. Donations can be made online, by phone, by mail (PO Box 128, Maria Stein, OH 45860), in stock, or as honor/memorial gifts. Director of Fund Development Diana Russell can be reached at [email protected] or 419-925-4532.
- Address: 2291 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein, OH 45860
- Phone: (419) 925-4532
- Email: [email protected]
- Donation mailing: PO Box 128, Maria Stein, OH 45860
- Fund Development contact: Diana Russell, [email protected]
Mission, Vision & Governance
The Shrine's mission is to provide an atmosphere of peace, prayer, and hospitality for faith nourishment and spiritual renewal through opportunities for prayer and pilgrimage, and inspiration from the lives of the saints. Its vision is to be a destination for all those seeking spiritual renewal through private, communal, and Eucharistic prayer, with evangelization focused on the saints through the veneration and care of the relics. The Heritage Museum serves as an educational resource highlighting the faith and spiritual development of the region. Since December 8, 2017, the Shrine has been governed by a lay Board of Directors (currently led by Board President Dave Wolters), with Mark Travis as Executive Director and a small professional staff supported by the Adoration Guild, docents, and gift-shop volunteers.
- Founded by the Sisters of the Precious Blood in 1875.
- Transferred to lay governance on December 8, 2017.
- Board of Directors led by President Dave Wolters (as of 2022).
- Executive Director: Mark Travis (since June 13, 2022).
- Sustaining partners: Adoration Guild, Heritage Museum docents, Pilgrim Gift Shop volunteers.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis de Sales Brunner, C.PP.S.1846–1884
Founder of the Maria Stein convent and the original relic collection; first to bring Precious Blood Sisters to Maria Stein.
- Father J. M. Gartner1872–1875
Priest from Milwaukee who acquired 175 relics in Rome; entrusted them to the Sisters of the Precious Blood in 1875, formally founding the Shrine.
- Mother Mary Kunegunda1887 onward
First Mother General of the newly independent Sisters of the Precious Blood after the 1887 Vatican directive separated men's and women's communities.
- Sister Joyce Lehman, C.PP.S.2016–2017
President of the Sisters of the Precious Blood Congregation; announced the 2016 plan to transfer the Shrine to lay leadership and signed the land-deed transfer on December 8, 2017.
- Don Rosenbeck2005–2022
Long-serving President of the Shrine's lay Board of Directors; oversaw the December 2017 transition and 17 years of ministry.
- Mark TravisJune 13, 2022–present
Current Executive Director; previously Director of Youth Ministry at St. Remy Church; holds a B.A. from Holy Cross College.
- Diana Russell
Director of Fund Development and Mission Advancement; point of contact for donations and memorial gifts.
- Susie Bergman
Marketing lead who helped launch the redesigned branding and the separate pilgrimgiftshop.com website.
