About The Grotto, Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother · Portland, Oregon
The Grotto, formally the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, is a 62-acre Catholic shrine and botanical garden in northeast Portland, Oregon, operated by the Servite Order (Order of Friar Servants of Mary) since its founding in 1924. Built into and around the 110-foot basalt cliff face of Rocky Butte, the sanctuary is divided into a lower plaza level (free, year-round) and an upper-level botanical garden, and is crowned by a large cavern shrine housing a replica of Michelangelo's Pietà. It was designated a National Sanctuary in 1983, attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually, and is best known for its Christmas Festival of Lights — billed as the world's largest Christmas choral festival — featuring two million lights and 150+ choirs over 31 nights.
- Established
- 1924
- Patron
- Our Sorrowful Mother (Our Lady of Sorrows) / Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Vidal Martinez, OSM (rector; the operation is led by Servite friars, with Christopher (Chris) Blanchard serving as Executive Director)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
The Grotto is one of the most distinctive Catholic shrines in the United States — a 62-acre refuge in northeast Portland where the geology of a 110-foot basalt cliff has been shaped into a literal cave chapel built around a replica of Michelangelo's Pietà. It welcomes people of every faith and none for daily Mass in four languages (English, Spanish, Filipino, Indonesian), daily Rosary, reconciliation seven days a week, and pilgrimage-scale devotion that includes a monthly St. Peregrine Mass with blessing by his relic and an annual Festival of Lights that draws the world's largest Christmas choral festival. Whether you come to walk the Chartres-style labyrinth, sit in the Meditation Chapel overlooking the Columbia River, attend a wedding in the Chapel of Mary, or simply light a candle for someone you love, The Grotto is built around the idea — set by its founder, Fr. Ambrose Mayer — that 'this be a sanctuary of peace for all peoples of the earth.'
Mass times at The Grotto, Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
- Held in the Friars Office in the Visitor Center
History & Founding
The Grotto was founded by Father Ambrose Mayer, OSM, a Servite friar from Kitchener, Ontario, who in 1892 — as a boy — made a promise to the Virgin Mary that if his mother survived a near-fatal childbirth he would one day 'undertake a great work for the Church.' Both his mother and his baby sister lived, and Mayer never forgot. After joining the Servite Order he was sent to Oregon in 1918 as the first Servite pastor in the state. In 1923, with the backing of Archbishop Alexander Christie of the Archdiocese of Portland (then styled the Archdiocese of Oregon City), Mayer bought the rugged, quarry-scarred slopes of Rocky Butte from the Union Pacific Railroad for $48,000 (a $3,000 down payment, the rest raised through a national campaign). Pope Pius XI personally blessed the project in a handwritten letter. The shrine was dedicated on May 29, 1924, before three thousand people, with the Archbishop praying that it be 'a sanctuary of peace for all peoples of the earth.'
- 1923 — Land on Rocky Butte purchased from Union Pacific Railroad for $48,000
- 1924 (May 29) — First Mass and dedication; Archbishop Alexander Christie celebrant
- 1925 — Cave carved into 110-foot basalt cliff; stone altar and Pietà replica installed (replica added several years later)
- 1934 — Chapel of St. Anne built to host the first U.S. Marian Congress
- 1955 — Chapel of Mary built (lower level, indoor worship and concert venue)
- 1983 — Officially designated a National Sanctuary
- 1988 — First Christmas Festival of Lights
- 1989 — Peace Garden added on the upper level
- 1991 — Father Jack Topper, OSM, named Director; Meditation Chapel completed
- 2001 — New visitor and conference center opens on the old gift shop site
- 2010 — Chartres-model meditative labyrinth installed
- 2012 — Fr. Jack Topper awarded Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
- 2016 — Fr. Jack retires after 25 years as director
- 2024 — Centennial of the shrine; 10+ millionth visitor welcomed
- April 12, 2025 — Fr. Jack Topper, OSM, dies at age 86 in Portland
Architecture & Grounds
The Grotto is built into and on top of Rocky Butte, a 110-foot basalt cliff in northeast Portland. Its 62 acres are split into two principal levels. The lower (Plaza) level — free to the public year-round — is the literal Grotto: a chapel cave carved out of the cliff in 1925, holding a stone altar and a marble replica of Michelangelo's Pietà. Adjacent is the Chapel of Mary (1955), with cathedral-like acoustics, used for daily Mass, weddings, and concerts. A cliff-side elevator carries visitors to the Upper Level, where the Chapel of St. Anne (1934) sits near the northern edge with views of the Columbia River and Mount St. Helens. The Upper Gardens host more than 100 statues, ponds, the Peace Garden (1989), the Meditation Chapel (1991), and the meditative labyrinth installed in 2010.
- 62 acres (lower sanctuary portion ~54 acres)
- Cave carved from 110-foot basalt cliff
- Pietà replica (marble) by Michelangelo
- Chapel of St. Anne (1934)
- Chapel of Mary (1955)
- Meditation Chapel (1991)
- Peace Garden (1989)
- Chartres-style labyrinth (2010)
- Visitor & Conference Center (2001)
- More than 100 statues throughout the gardens
Mass & Liturgy
The Grotto offers daily Mass Monday through Saturday at 12:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Mary, with Sunday Mass at 8:00, 10:00, and 12:00. From May through September the 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Sunday Masses (and the Spanish Mass) are celebrated outdoors in The Grotto Plaza, weather permitting; in case of inclement weather, all Masses move indoors to the Chapel of Mary. The Rosary is recited every day, 30 minutes before each Mass. Mass Intentions may be requested and Mass Enrollment Cards are available so loved ones can be prayed for at each Mass at The Grotto.
- Daily Mass Mon–Sat: 12:00 p.m. (Chapel of Mary)
- Sunday Mass: 8:00, 10:00, 12:00 (Plaza outdoors in warmer months)
- Spanish Mass: 2:00 p.m. on 2nd and 4th Sundays
- Filipino Mass: 2:00 p.m. on 1st and 3rd Sundays
- Indonesian Mass: 2:00 p.m. on 5th Sundays
- St. Peregrine Mass with relic blessing: 12:00 p.m. on 1st Saturdays
- Easter Vigil 8:30 p.m.; Easter Sunday 8, 10, 12
- Christmas Eve 4:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. (Midnight Mass); Christmas Day 10:00 a.m.
- Solemnity of Mary (Jan 1): 10:00 a.m.; Assumption (Aug 15): 8:00 p.m.
Devotions & Special Masses
The Grotto is centered on devotion to Our Sorrowful Mother — Mary in her sorrows at the foot of the Cross — embodied by the Pietà at the heart of the cliff cave. Beyond the regular Mass schedule, the Servite friars lead a monthly St. Peregrine Mass with a blessing using the relic of St. Peregrine (patron of those with cancer and other serious illnesses), and a daily Rosary thirty minutes before each Mass. The Grotto also offers Mass Intentions and Mass Enrollment Cards so the faithful can enroll loved ones for ongoing prayer at every Mass celebrated at the shrine.
- Daily Rosary (30 minutes before each Mass)
- St. Peregrine Mass & relic blessing — 1st Saturday, 12:00 p.m.
- Mass Intentions and Mass Enrollment Cards
- Pet Blessing event (annual)
- Online devotions ('Bringing The Grotto to You')
Christmas Festival of Lights
The Festival of Lights has been a Portland tradition since 1988 and is billed as the world's largest Christmas choral festival. The lower-level Sanctuary is transformed into a walk-through experience of roughly two million lights, a giant walk-through Christmas tree, an outdoor tent with continuous entertainment (caroling, puppet shows), and nightly choral performances inside the cathedral-like Chapel of Mary. Over the course of 31+ nights, more than 150 choirs — schools, churches, civic groups — perform. Festival programming runs nightly 5:00–9:30 p.m. (closed on Christmas Day).
- Two million lights illuminating the plaza and gardens
- 150+ choirs performing over 31+ nights (world's largest Christmas choral festival)
- Giant walk-through Christmas tree
- Caroling every hour on the half hour in the plaza tent
- Puppet shows at the top of each hour
- Annual food drive for SnowCap
- Free shuttle from Parkrose/Sumner MAX Red Line station
- Average visit 60–90 minutes; ~1/4 mile walk
- Tickets: GA ~$16.95–$18.95, Youth ~$7.95–$8.95 (Value Nights lower)
The Servite Friars (Order of Friar Servants of Mary)
The Grotto is a ministry of the Servites, formally the Order of Friar Servants of Mary (Ordo Servorum Mariae), a Catholic religious order founded in Italy in 1233 by the Seven Holy Founders and devoted to the Virgin Mary, especially under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Servites have operated The Grotto continuously since its foundation in 1924. Father Ambrose Mayer, OSM, its founder, was the first Servite pastor in the Pacific Northwest. Today Servite friars live on site and staff the sanctuary alongside a lay team led by Executive Director Chris Blanchard. 'Ever since its foundation, the Grotto has been and continues to be a place where people can find and experience physical, emotional and spiritual renewal through the presence and ministry of the Order of Friar Servants of Mary.'
- Founder: Fr. Ambrose Mayer, OSM (1918 first Servite in Oregon)
- Current rector: Fr. Vidal Martinez, OSM
- Director: Fr. Leo Hambur, OSM (2025)
- Lay executive: Chris Blanchard, Executive Director
- Past directors include Fr. Jack Topper, OSM (1991–2016) and Fr. Don Siple, OSM (rector, 2020)
Weddings at The Grotto
The Chapel of Mary, with its cathedral-like acoustics and cliff-side setting, is the primary venue for weddings at The Grotto. Mass and ceremony bookings, music, and rehearsal arrangements are coordinated through Wedding Coordinator Terri Morley.
- Primary venue: Chapel of Mary (1955)
- Wedding Coordinator: Terri Morley — [email protected], 503-254-7371
- Indoor setting with cathedral-like acoustics
- Photographic backdrops include the Grotto cave, gardens, and cliff
Visitor Information & Hours
The Plaza level and the Grotto cave are open daily year-round and free to visit. Admission is charged for the Upper Level (Upper Gardens, Chapel of St. Anne, Peace Garden, Meditation Chapel, labyrinth). Hours change seasonally — the busiest season runs from Mother's Day through Labor Day, when hours extend to 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; winter hours are shorter and the grounds close around 5:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. during the busy Christmas season. The Grotto Gift Shop is open daily.
- Plaza Level / Grotto cave: free, year-round
- Upper Gardens: ticketed — Adult $11.95, Senior 65+ $10.95, Youth 6–11 $5.95
- Seasonal hours: extended to 8 p.m. (Mother's Day–Labor Day); 5 p.m. (Nov–Thanksgiving); 3:30 p.m. (after Thanksgiving through Dec 30)
- Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
- Free wheelchairs available at the Gift Shop
- Service animals allowed throughout (pets only allowed in specific outdoor areas)
Getting Involved — Volunteering, Donations, Friends of The Grotto
The Grotto is supported by a community of volunteers, donors, and 'Friends of The Grotto.' Volunteering is coordinated by Volunteer Coordinator Kristin Burckhard and spans Festival of Lights, gardens, hospitality, and administrative roles. Donations and legacy gifts are handled by Patrick Ryan ([email protected]). Schools, churches, and civic groups are welcome to perform at the Festival of Lights, and community group visits and field trips are arranged through the community engagement office.
- Volunteer Coordinator: Kristin Burckhard — [email protected]
- Donations & legacy gifts: Patrick Ryan — [email protected]
- Friends of The Grotto annual giving program
- Field trips, group visits, and educational tours
- Festival of Lights choir performances for community choirs
- Sponsorship opportunities for the Festival of Lights
Staff & Key Contacts
The Grotto is staffed by Servite friars and a lay team under Executive Director Chris Blanchard. Major offices include liturgy coordination, weddings, retail (Gift Shop), events, media, and community engagement.
- Executive Director: Chris Blanchard — [email protected], 503-254-7371
- Deputy Director (Media/Marketing): Jane Tokito — [email protected], 503-261-2404
- Donations/Legacy Gifts: Patrick Ryan — [email protected], 503-254-7371
- Director of Retail Sales (Gift Shop): Nikki Killian — [email protected], 503-261-2424
- Liturgy Coordinator: Elizabeth DeChristopher — [email protected]
- Volunteer Coordinator: Kristin Burckhard — [email protected]
- Wedding Coordinator: Terri Morley — [email protected], 503-254-7371
- Events (Festival of Lights, Choirs, Special Events): [email protected]
- Main switchboard: 503-254-7371
- Gift Shop phone: 503-261-2424
Pilgrimage & Retreats
Although described as a national shrine, The Grotto also functions as a year-round pilgrimage site and retreat destination. Visitors can walk the meditative labyrinth in the Upper Gardens, sit in the Meditation Chapel with views of the Columbia River and Mount St. Helens, attend daily Mass, walk the Rosary path through the gardens, or arrange group retreats through the conference center. The Servite friars also lead online daily reflections (notably during the COVID era under the 'Bringing The Grotto to You' banner), making the spiritual life of the shrine available beyond Portland.
- Rosary walk through the gardens
- Meditative labyrinth (Chartres model)
- Meditation Chapel overlooking Columbia River and Mt St. Helens
- Conference Center retreat bookings (via Kristin Burckhard)
- Online daily prayer & reflections from the Servite friars
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Ambrose Mayer, OSM1924– (founder; led the project from land purchase in 1923 through construction and dedication in 1924–1925)
Servite friar from Kitchener, Ontario; first Servite pastor in Oregon; bought the land and oversaw the carving of the cliff grotto.
- Father Jack Topper, OSM1991–2016
Director of The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother for ~25 years. Born July 23, 1938 (Chicago); entered Servites 1982; ordained 1987; previously a parish priest in St. Louis and Chicago and a campus minister in California. Received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal from Archbishop John Vlazny in October 2012. Died April 12, 2025, in Portland.
- Father Don Siple, OSMReferenced as Rector in 2020 daily-reflections newsletter
Servite friar; referenced as Rector of The Grotto during the early COVID-19 period.
- Father Vidal Martinez, OSMCurrent rector as of the centennial (2024) and into 2025
Quoted in Our Sunday Visitor 2024 centennial coverage as rector of The Grotto.
