shrine

Eastern Orthodox shrine

Catholic shrine: glass coffin of St Catherine Labouré

Buddhist shrine just outside Wat Phnom.

A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’; also used as a desk, like the French bureau) is originally a container, usually in precious materials, especially for a relic and often a cult image, and/or a holy or sacred place , often containing the same, dedicated towards a certain deity, saint, or similar religious figure. These may include shrines in temples, home altars, and sacred burial places. A shrine where offerings are made is called an altar. Secular meanings have developed by association, as noted below.

Religious shrines

As distinguished from a temple, a shrine usually houses a particular relic or cult image, which is the object of worship or veneration, or is constructed on a site which is thought to be particularly holy, as opposed to being placed for the convenience of worshippers. As such, shrines are associated with the practice of pilgrimage. A shrine is also known as a holy place of worship, as is the case of Saint Catherine Labouré who created the Miraculous Medal, or Saint Erkembode .

Religious traditions which have founded public places of worship frequently called shrines include: Christian denominations, such as Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity (most Protestant denominations have historically opposed veneration of saints); Hinduism; Buddhism; Shinto; and Islam (mainly Shia).

Muslims have differing opinions on shrines and the Intercession of saints:"And the mosques are for Allah (Alone): so invoke not anyone along with Allah" Sura Al-Jinn:18 (72:18)). The only major mosques according to Sunni Muslims are in the following order; 1- Masjid al Haram 2- Masjid al-Nabawi 3- Al-Aqsa Mosque (A mosque on the holy Temple Mount, which is a place visited by both Jewish and Christian pilgrims). Shi'ism maintains a tradition of venerating late religious leaders (as there is no hierarchical church, the bond is very personal; but often a 'successor', sometimes even a son, maintains a following) and/or martyrs (usually at their grave); thus the Persian word imamzadeh. There are also sunnite equivalents, as among the ascetic marabouts of West Africa and the Maghreb.

A Buddhist shrine is sometimes called a stupa, requiring a symbolic architecture.

In Shinto, small portable shrines are often carried in religious processions.

In the Roman Catholic Code of Canon law, canons 1230, 1231: "The term shrine means a church or other sacred place which, with the approval of the local Ordinary, is by reason of special devotion frequented by the faithful as pilgrims. For a shrine to be described as national, the approval of the Episcopal Conference is necessary. For it to be described as international, the approval of the Holy See is required." Shrines are therefore normally churches which for historical or other reasons have become the destination of pilgrimages.

Woman at a yard shrine (Waterhouse, 1895)

Another use of the term "shrine" in colloquial Catholic terminology is a niche or alcove in most - especially larger - churches used by Parishioners when praying privately in the church. They were also called Devotional Altars, since they could look like small Side Altars. Shrines were always centered on some image of Christ or a saint - for instance, a statue, painting, mural or mosaic, and may have had a reredos behind them (without a Tabernacle built in). However, Mass would not be celebrated at them; they were simply used to aid or give a visual focus for prayers. Side altars where Mass could actually be celebrated were used in a similar way to shrines by parishioners. Side Altars were specifically dedicated to The Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph or other saints.

The word is also used to designate a small altar in a home or place of business, or a room or item of furniture which is furnished with religious symbols and used for private worship, as was common in the polytheist periods of Classical Antiquity. Devotions are generally to ancestral or tutelary spirits.

Yard shrines

Small outdoor yard shrines are found at the homes of many people following various religions, especially historic Christianity. Many consist of a statue of Christ or a saint on a pedestal or in an alcove, while others may be elaborate groupings including paintings, statuary, and architectual elements such as walls, roofs, glass doors, ironwork fences, and so on.

In the United States, many Christians (especially Anglican and Roman Catholic) have small yard shrines; some of these greatly resemble side altars, since they are composed of a Deity or saint statue placed in a niche or grotto; this type is colloquially referred to as a bathtub Madonna. Nativity scenes are also a form of yard shrine.

Secular shrines

In the United States, several landmarks are called "historic shrines."

By extension the term shrine has come to mean any place (or virtual cyber-place) dedicated completely to a particular person or subject.

Notable shrines

• The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Australia
• The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Roman Catholic

The long tradition of veneration of saints has produced an impressive number of notable shrines, some of truly international renoun. There are separate articles on:

• basilica
• Shrines to the Virgin Mary

The list of those considered at least of national importance comprises none in Africa, but on all other continents:

Europe

One in Austria:

• Basilica Mariä Geburt in Mariazell, Styria

In Belgium:

• The shrine of Our Lady at Scherpenheuvel in Flanders

Two in Croatia:

• minor basilica of the Mother Mary of Bistrica
• National Shrine of St. Joseph on Dubovac in Karlovac

One in the Czech Republic:

• Katedrála sv. Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha Prague cathedral

Four in France:

• Minor Basilica (upper church) of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes
• Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris
• Cathedral of Our Lady in Reims, wher the French kings were crowned
• National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians in Nice

In Germany:

• Shrine of the Three Kings at Cologne Cathedral

One in Ireland:

• the minor basilica of Our Lady of Knock Queen of Ireland [BVM] in Knock

Two pontifical minor basilicas in Italy:

• The shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary cathedral at Loreto in Italy
• Pontifical Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua, conventual

One in Latvia:

• minor basilica of BVM Assumption in Aglona

One in Malta:

• the minor basilica of National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu [BVM Assumption] in Għarb

Four main shrines in Poland:

• Shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Częstochowa
• Wawel Cathedral of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus in Kraków
• JHS Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki
• Sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń in Licheń Stary

The main shrine in Portugal:

• Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Fatima

Three minor basilicas in Spain:

• The shrine of the Apostle Saint James the Great at Santiago de Compostela in Spain, historically the third Catholic pilgrimage destination after Jeruzalem and Rome
• Santuario Nacional de la Gran Promesa [JHS Heart] in Valladolid
• Mare de Déu de Montserrat [BVM] in Terrassa

Four in the UK:

• The shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Walsingham (England)
• The shrine of St Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey (England)
• The shrine of St Winifred at Holywell (Wales)
• Welsh National Shrine of Our Lady of Cardigan, Wales
• The National Shrine of Saint Boniface at Crediton (England) website

North America

Seven in Canada:

• The Shrine of Ste Anne de Beaupre in Quebec.

One in Mexico:

• minor Basílica of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

Fifty five in the USA:

• Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago, IL (first Latin Mass shrine in the world)
• The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC in the United States
• The Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at Mount Saint Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland
• The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois
• The National Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church in Royal Oak, Michigan
• Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York
• Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Hubertus, Wisconsin
• Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine in Orlando, Florida
• The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament[1] in Hanceville, Alabama
• The Light Of Truth Universal Shrine[2] in Buckingham, Virginia

Central America

Two on Cuba

One in Nicaragua

One in Panama

South America

Asia

Two in China.

In Japan:

• Shinto shrine(Jinja)

Two in India:

• One international shrine, in Ernakulam – Angamaly, of the Syro-Malabar rite:
• furthermore Shrine Vailankanni Basilica Vailankanni in India

Many Islamic shrines all over the Middle East, especially revered by the Shia. Notably the:

• Imam Ali Mosque
• Imam Hussain Shrine
• Hadhrat Abbas Shrine

Fifteen in the Philippines.

Two in Sri Lanka.

Oceania

All four are in Australia, in only two major cities:

• in Sydney, St. Mary’s Cathedral, a minor basilica
• in Melbourne: St. Anthony’s National Shrine, National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and National Shrine of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Eastern Orthodox

• Mount Athos in Greece.
• Pochaïv Lavra in Ukraine
• Supraśl Lavra in Poland

Bahá'í

The Shrine of the Báb and its Terraces on Mt. Carmel, Haifa.

The two most well-known Bahá'í shrines serve as the resting places for the respective remains of the Twin Manifestations of the Bahá'í Faith, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. They are the focal points of a Bahá'í pilgrimage.

• the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, Israel.
• the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in Acre, Israel.

Shinto

Main article: Shinto shrine

Shinto temples (in Japanese, variously named jinja, taisha, and jingū) are conventionally called "shrines" in English. A portable miniature version, called a mikoshi, is carried in Shinto processions. See Category:Shinto shrines

• Tsukudo Shrine (in Tokyo)

U.S. historic shrines

• The Alamo
• Fort McHenry
• Saint Anne Parish and Shrine in Fall River, Massachusetts
• Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island

See also

• Shriners (Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine) used to call their masonic assembly places temple (akin to shrine), but recently rebaptised them shriner centre
• Malaysian Chinese Gods

Sources and references

(incomplete)

• GigaCatholic
• Hari Parbat

Donate to Wikimedia