National Shrine of the Little Flower
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- See also the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio, Texas
National Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church in Royal Oak, Michigan is a Catholic Church completed in two stages, from 1931 to 1936, and funded by the proceeds of the radio ministry of the controversial Father Charles Coughlin who performed radio broadcasts from the tower. It stands at the northeast corner of Twelve Mile Road and Woodward Avenue.
Named in honor of Saint Thérèse de Lisieux (who was also known as the Little Flower), the church was first built in 1925 in a largely Protestant area, and was burned down by a fire in 1936[citation needed]. It was rebuilt out of copper and stone to designs of architect Henry J. McGill, from the New York firm of McGill and Hamlin.
A dramatic limestone Art Deco tower called the Charity Crucifixion Tower, which was built first and completed in 1931, features integrated figural sculpture by Rene Paul Chambellan, including a large figure of Christ on the cross, 28 feet (8.5m) high. On the surrounding wall is a carved portrait of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. A large narthex connects the tower to the innovative octagonal nave, which seats three thousand, with the altar in the center. The main building is granite and limestone, with elaborate interior sculptural work by Corrado Parducci and hand-painted murals by Beatrice Wilczynski.
In 1998, the United States Bishops' Conference declared the site a National Shrine, one of only five in the country according to the church's web site.
[edit] External links
- National Shrine of the Little Flower is at coordinates Coordinates:
