About The Black Madonna · Pacific, Missouri
The Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos is a Catholic Marian shrine complex nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks in an unincorporated area south of Pacific, Missouri, about eight miles outside Eureka and roughly a 40-minute drive from West St. Louis County. Built by Brother Bronislaus Luszcz, a Polish Franciscan Missionary Brother of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it is dedicated to Our Lady of Czestochowa — the Black Madonna — under the title "Queen of Peace and Mercy." The grounds feature a galaxy of dazzling mosaics and multi-colored rock sculptures made from native Missouri tiff rock, along with an open-air chapel, grottos honoring the lives of Christ and Mary, a gift shop, and a museum. It is run today by the Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a place of pilgrimage, prayer, and quiet reflection.
- Established
- 1937
- Patron
- Our Lady of Czestochowa (the Black Madonna), titled "Queen of Peace and Mercy"
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
The Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos offers a genuinely uncommon experience within the Archdiocese of St. Louis: an entire hand-built outdoor sanctuary where pilgrims can walk among vivid rock-and-mosaic grottos, pray in an open-air chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Czestochowa, and follow in the footsteps of generations of Polish-American Catholics. Because it is staffed by the Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the site carries the warmth of a lived religious vocation — the Brothers offer guided tours and pilgrimages, host votive candles, and welcome group retreats with catered luncheons. It is especially meaningful for those with a devotion to Our Lady, to St. Francis, or to Polish Catholic heritage, and as a designated pilgrimage site during Jubilee Years it offers an unusual opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence in a quiet, rural setting.
Mass times at The Black Madonna
Weekly Mass schedule
History of the Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos
The Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos has its origin in a 1927 invitation from Archbishop John J. Glennon of St. Louis, who asked Polish Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to come to Missouri and establish a nursing home in the countryside. Among the six Brothers who emigrated was Brother Bronislaus Luszcz, age thirty-four, who brought with him a deep Polish Catholic devotion to Our Lady of Częstochowa — the Black Madonna. In 1937, on a wooded hillside in the Ozark foothills, Brother Bronislaus began clearing land by hand and built a cedar chapel with a portrait of the Black Madonna above the altar. He then spent the next 23 years constructing a remarkable series of grottos made of concrete and Missouri tiff rock, each encrusted with mosaics of seashells, costume jewelry, ceramic figurines, and devotional offerings contributed by pilgrims. The original chapel was destroyed by arson in 1958, and Brother Bronislaus died of heat stroke in 1960 at age 66 while still working on the Our Lady of Fatima Grotto. An open-air Chapel of the Hills, dedicated to Our Lady of Czestochowa, replaced the burned chapel in the 1960s.
- Founded 1937 by Brother Bronislaus Luszcz of the Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Original cedar chapel destroyed by arson in 1958
- Replaced by the open-air Chapel of the Hills in the early-to-mid 1960s
- Brother Bronislaus died of heat stroke in 1960, age 66
Brother Bronislaus Luszcz — Founder and Builder
Brother Bronislaus was the driving force behind the shrine for more than two decades. As a young man in Poland he used to sit by the road and watch pilgrims walk hundreds of miles to reach the Jasna Góra shrine of the Black Madonna — an experience that stayed with him for the rest of his life. In Missouri he threw himself into clearing the thickly wooded property by hand, built the original cedar chapel, and then devoted himself to constructing the grottos entirely without power tools, using Missouri tiff rock from Old Mines and Potosi. He decorated each grotto with intricate mosaics assembled from offerings brought by visitors, and even used cake pans shaped like lambs and rabbits as molds for the concrete animals at St. Francis's feet. His final, unfinished project was the grotto of Our Lady of Fatima; he died of heat stroke while still working on it in 1960.
- Polish-born Franciscan Missionary Brother who emigrated in 1927
- Built the original cedar chapel in 1937 and the grottos over 23 years
- Constructed all structures by hand without power tools
- Died in 1960 at age 66 while working on the Our Lady of Fatima Grotto
The Grottos and Their Artwork
The grottos are the heart of the shrine. Built to resemble natural cave formations from concrete and Missouri tiff (barite) rock, each one is set with a distinctive mosaic and devotional scene. Materials used in ornamentation — seashells, costume jewelry, ceramic figurines, and small colorful objects — were contributed by visiting pilgrims and sent from foreign missions. Brother Bronislaus's playful craftsmanship shows in details such as the cake-pan-molded lambs and rabbits at the feet of St. Francis. Two grotto features carry particular historical weight: the altar stone at the Our Lady of Sorrows Grotto is from the original monastery chapel, and the Crucifix of the Gethsemane Grotto is used as a landmark by hikers moving through the surrounding conservation areas.
- Grotto of Saint Francis (with concrete lambs and rabbits)
- Grotto of Saint Joseph
- Grotto of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Grotto of Jesus and the disciples at Gethsemane
- Grotto of Our Lady of Sorrows
- Grotto of Mary's Assumption
- Grotto of the Nativity
- Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima (left unfinished at Brother Bronislaus's death)
The Chapel of the Hills and the Icon of the Black Madonna
The current chapel is the Chapel of the Hills, an open-air structure built in the early to mid-1960s by the novices and postulants of the Franciscan Missionary Brothers to replace the original cedar chapel lost to arson in 1958. It is dedicated to Our Lady of Czestochowa and features a wall of multi-colored mosaics. Two prominent gifts adorn the chapel: Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, Primate of Poland, donated a painting to replace the image lost in the fire; and Cardinal John Carberry, Archbishop of St. Louis, donated a glass-encased icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa from the former Church of Our Lady of Częstochowa in St. Louis.
- Open-air Chapel of the Hills, built early-to-mid 1960s
- Painting donated by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, Primate of Poland
- Glass-encased icon donated by Cardinal John Carberry, Archbishop of St. Louis
Visiting Hours, Tours, and Pilgrimages
The Shrine grounds are open year-round for self-guided walking tours and private prayer. From April through October the grounds are open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the Gift Shop and Museum open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; from November through March the grounds are open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (an earlier St. Louis Review listing lists slightly expanded summer hours). Admission is free; charitable donations are appreciated. Allow one to two hours for a complete self-guided tour. The Franciscan Missionary Brothers host a wide range of group programs — from simple lectures and grotto tours to full-day religious pilgrimages with catered luncheons — and visiting hours can be made flexible for registered group tours. Votive candles may be lit on the grounds.
- April–October: Grounds 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Gift Shop & Museum 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- November–March: Grounds 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Free admission; donations appreciated
- Group tours and pilgrimages available by arrangement
- Votive candles may be lit
Plan a Visit — Location and Directions
The Shrine sits at 100 St. Joseph Hill Road, Pacific, MO 63069, in an unincorporated area south of Pacific in the Ozark foothills, about eight miles outside Eureka, MO and roughly a 40-minute drive from West St. Louis County. From Interstate 44, take the Eureka exit, head south on Highway 109 to Highway FF, turn right onto FF to Highway F, turn left onto F to St. Joseph's Road, then turn right; the entrance is on the left. Free parking is available on site. There is no public transportation, so a personal vehicle is required. The outdoor grounds include stairs, uneven paths, and changes in elevation and are not fully wheelchair accessible; mobile phone signal is generally available.
- Address: 100 St. Joseph Hill Road, Pacific, MO 63069
- Take I-44 to Eureka exit; south on Hwy 109 to FF; right on FF to F; left on F to St. Joseph's Road; right to entrance on left
- Free parking on site
- No public transportation — personal vehicle required
- Outdoor grounds with stairs and uneven paths; not fully wheelchair accessible
Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Shrine is owned and operated by the Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an order founded in Poland in 1888. Two Brothers visited the United States in 1922, and in 1927 the order was officially welcomed into the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The Brothers continue the order's traditional apostolates of caring for nursing-home residents and people affected by HIV and other marginalized people, while also maintaining the Black Madonna Shrine and grottos, which welcome thousands of visitors each year. The Brothers reside on the 200-acre property adjacent to the Shrine near St. Joseph's Hill.
- Order founded in Poland, 1888
- Officially welcomed into the Archdiocese of St. Louis, 1927
- Apostolates include nursing care, HIV/AIDS ministry, and the Black Madonna Shrine
- Reside on the property near St. Joseph's Hill
Staff and Contacts
Day-to-day operations of the Shrine are coordinated by Mr. Michael (Mike) Scully, listed by the Archdiocese of St. Louis as Congregation Contact for the Franciscan Missionary Brothers. Communications and public relations are handled by Brother John Spila, O.S.F. Visitors and groups can reach the Shrine by phone at (636) 938-5361, by email at [email protected] (a longer-standing address, [email protected], is also in use), or by mail at 100 St. Joseph Hill Road, Pacific, MO 63069.
- Mike Scully — Shrine Director / Congregation Contact
- Brother John Spila O.S.F. — Communications/PR Contact
- Phone: (636) 938-5361
- Email: [email protected] (also [email protected])
Jubilee Indulgence Site
Because the Black Madonna Shrine is a public place of worship run by the Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it has been designated an acceptable place of pilgrimage for Catholics to complete the steps required to receive a plenary indulgence during the special Jubilee Year declared in honor of St. Francis. Visitors are encouraged to combine a pilgrimage here with the standard conditions for gaining the indulgence.
- Designated pilgrimage site for the Jubilee Year indulgence
- Run by the Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Volunteering at the Shrine
The Shrine welcomes volunteer help from individuals, families, and organizations. Volunteer opportunities include preparing the grounds for the season, ensuring a clean and safe environment, needed repairs, and one-off projects. Scouts working toward their Gold Award or Eagle Scout rank are also encouraged to bring their ideas and service hours to the Shrine. Interested volunteers should contact the office by email at [email protected], by phone at 636-938-5361, or by submitting the volunteer registration form on the Shrine's website.
- Grounds preparation and seasonal cleanup
- Repairs and project work
- Eagle Scout and Gold Award service projects welcomed
- Contact: [email protected] or (636) 938-5361
Arson, Vandalism, and Resilience
The Shrine has been the target of arson and vandalism many times in its history. The most destructive event was the 1958 arson fire that consumed the original cedar chapel and the painting of the Black Madonna above the altar. The losses were partially offset by the gifts of Cardinal Wyszyński (a replacement painting) and Cardinal Carberry (a glass-encased icon). Theft and vandalism have continued into recent decades, including a 2013 break-in at the gift shop in which sterling silver medals, silver-plated necklaces, and a donation jar of change were stolen. Despite these trials, the Brothers have continued to maintain the Shrine and grottos as an open place of pilgrimage.
- 1958 arson destroyed the original cedar chapel
- Replacement painting from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński
- Glass-encased icon from Cardinal John Carberry
- 2013 break-in and theft at the gift shop
Getting Involved and Contact Information
There are several ways to engage with the Shrine: visit the grounds during posted hours for self-guided walking tours and prayer; arrange a guided group tour or full-day pilgrimage; schedule a private or group Mass with a priest of your own; volunteer as an individual, family, or organization; or make a charitable donation to support the maintenance of the grottos and grounds. The Shrine is staffed primarily by the Franciscan Missionary Brothers and is supported by donations rather than admission fees.
- Self-guided walking tours and prayer during open hours
- Group tours and pilgrimages by arrangement
- Private/group Mass scheduling by contacting the office
- Volunteer opportunities for individuals, families, and organizations
- Free-will donations support the Shrine's upkeep
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Brother Bronislaus Luszcz (Franciscan Missionary Brother of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)1937–1960
Founder and primary builder of the Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos. Polish immigrant who emigrated in 1927, cleared the land by hand, built the original cedar chapel in 1937, and constructed the grottos over the next 23 years. Died of heat stroke in 1960 at age 66 while working on the unfinished Our Lady of Fatima Grotto.