I went here today while traveling to St. Louis. The shrine was mainly outdoors except for the…read moreactual Black Madonna portion so definitely don't want to go if it is bad weather. I've been to Catholic shrines all over the US and Europe, but hadn't heard of this one. I decided since I already had a devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa and didn't get to go when I was in Poland, I would check it out. It has a lot of cool grottos and would definitely be a place I would recommend visiting if you want to go on a mini- retreat for a few hours. Will take about an hour to walk through if you plan on stopping to pray the stations or at some of the grottos. I loved the mosaics made from glass and seashells. My favorite grotto is the Garden of Gethsemane grotto where the angel is handing Jesus the cup. It was cool to see the cross above as a foreshadowing of what was to come. There is a small gift shop where you can buy candles for only $4 for the large size. They have a plethora of holy cards, rosaries, and medals from a bunch of saints. There are also several relics on display in the museum room, open until 3 pm, including of the True Cross of Jesus. There are clean bathrooms available as well which is nice when traveling so you can stay longer! Highly recommend for those wanting a peaceful afternoon in nature. Beautiful area to drive through as well.

Here's another place I would not have been aware about if an stl250 cake wasn't placed there. It's…read moreone of the St. Louis region's finest hidden gems. I say 'hidden' because not a lot of people know about it, and there are no signs (at least from the highways) that direct to it. There is a big sign, however, on the State Route T. I am not religious, but for anyone who appreciates art in any form: take it from me, this is worth checking out! These carvings were all done by one person. Yes, a lot of them are religious figures. But pay attention to the detail and you'll get quite the idea about this man's passion. The place has had some history, both happy and sad. It did survive a fire that nearly destroyed everything. There is usually someone there (I believe this person lives in the trailer) to assist visitors. The gift shop and tabernacle were great shaded areas. There are a few cool souvenirs to get in the gift shop, so take some cash. A short walking trail also exists. Again, definitely worth checking out during the daytime.

Beautiful building. Friendly folks. Father gives a good, plain talkin' homily. Attended Sunday…read more10AM mass.