Where: 400 Michigan Ave NE, DC, 20017
When: Various times 2008 - 2010
Web: The Shrine's website is here.
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We attend Mass occasionally at this wonderful church in Northeast DC. The Basilica is not a parish church - it is considered a shrine for the entire country. The Basilica attracts many pilgrims from across the United States and beyond, as well as locals seeking a periodic alternative to their own parish churches.
There are two main churches - the grand 'upper church' and the smaller 'crypt church' - as well as numerous chapels (mainly around the outer edges of the upper church). Most daily Masses are held in the crypt church - most weekend Masses are held in the upper church.
Upper church Masses are ornate affairs. The celebrant priests, deacons, and numerous servers process through the church, usually accompanied by a cantor and the tremendously large and powerful pipe organ. The crypt church Masses tend to be smaller in scale but no less reverential. The underground setting gives the crypt church a unique feeling.