Our Lady of Siluva
"Lithuania's Greatest Treasure"

The National Shrine

The Apparition of Mary led many to return to their faith.

The National Shrine in Washington D.C. honors our Blessed Mother and proclaims the great story of faith, which continues to unfold in our time.

In the Lithuanian chapel, a statue of Mary and Jesus stands at the center of a colorful mosaic. The border of the mosaic arch is decorated with pinecones, illustrating the meaning of the Lithuanian word “Siluva.” The mosaic at the base of the altar shows the different sizes and shapes of typical Lithuanian tree crosses.

The stained glass skylight of the dome represents the sun. Mosaic representations of four other Lithuanian Marian titles surround the skylight.

On the south wall, a mosaic panel shows Saint Casimir, patron of Lithuanian. The words, “May your children draw strength from the past,” in Lithuanian, are over the panel.

Christ the Protector is portrayed on the north wall. Above this mosaic is a quote in Lithuanian that reads: “Almighty God, protect our beloved country.”

A mosaic inlay over the rear wall shows the ocean as the link between Lithuania and the United States. The Lithuanian text reads, “For God and Country.”

The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. was dedicated by Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, in 1959.

Lithuanian Catholics of America donated the Chapel of Our Lady of Siluva. The mosaic at the base of the altar shows typical Lithuanian wayside crosses.Visit www.nationalshrine.com to learn more about Mary’s shrine, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and their ministry.

• Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Chicago
• Shrine at Elizabeth, New Jersey
• Stained Glass at Putnam
• Shrine at East St. Louis
• National Shrine, Washington D.C.

Siluva Facts

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