Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine

The 57,000-sq.-ft. Mary, Queen of the Universe is a 2,000-seat shrine church adapted from the floor plan of the original Basilican Church of Saint Peter in Rome. The Shrine features a central nave that rises to a height of eighty-five feet bordered by a row of interior columns and Roman arches on either side. The design incorporates the look and feel of early Christian churches using finishes of veneer plaster, cast stone, clay tile flooring and marble. A decorative ceiling made of western red cedar gives warmth to the large expansive space. Adorned with inspirational stained glass windows, the Shrine’s fourteen aisle windows, entitled “The Magnificat Windows” depict the story of God’s love of man and Mary’s place in God’s plan for salvation.

Developed as a ministry for tourists, the shrine complex sits on a 17-acre tract next to outlet malls and theme parks and hosts more than 250,000 visitors annually. The red-tiled, triangular stucco edifice is framed on either side by tranquil walkways, an open entrance plaza, fountains and an outdoor rosary garden. The complex also features separate chapels seating 100 for daily mass, a museum of religious art, an outdoor chapel and 80-foot bell tower. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI designated the church a minor basilica, a distinction given for historic significance, architectural beauty or ministerial uniqueness. The church is one of only 63 minor basilicas in the United States.