When Francis de Sales Brunner, a Catholic missionary priest from Switzerland, first came to what is now Mercer County in the mid-1840s, one of the substantial number of religious artifacts he brought with him was a depiction of a miracle in which the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared from the rocks of a cliff to save a young boy who had fallen.
Brunner established 10 convents after he arrived in the New World. But the monastery that had been created on those Swiss cliffs, called Mariastein (literally “Mary of the Rock”), where he had been ordained, was Brunner’s inspiration when he named the convent that would house his relics: Maria Stein.
One of the largest collections of holy relics in the country - Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics - lives in Mercer County.
His original collection, expanded through acquisitions and donations over the years, has grown into one of the largest collections of holy relics in the country, and today, the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics draws visitors from around the world to pray and reflect among more than 1,200 documented pieces displayed in a series of three hand-carved wooden altars and assorted glass cases.
The shrine’s executive director, Mark Travis, says relics usually are objects that are associated in some way with Catholic saints, and roughly 95 percent of the collection are considered first class — meaning body parts, usually bits of bone or hair. Second-class relics are objects, such as a book or a rosary, that were touched or used by a saint; objects that have been touched by a first- or second-class relic, such as a piece of cloth, would be considered third-class. The collection also includes slivers of wood that are said to have come from the crucifixion cross and the manger of Bethlehem.
Audio guides are available to help visitors learn more about the shrine, which sits on nearly 30 acres in the unincorporated town of Maria Stein.
Brunner founded the convent for the Sisters of the Precious Blood in 1844; the original frame building that served as the convent and housed the relics stood until a permanent brick building went up in 1860.
When additional relics were given to the sisters in 1875 and pilgrims began arriving, it became clear that larger accommodations were needed. Two new chapels — including one specifically to house the relics — went up in 1892, and a large, modern, four-story motherhouse was completed in 1901. Visitors can still see the outline of the original brick structure in the courtyard.
Numerous wings were added and renovation projects undertaken over the years, and the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
In the meantime, however, the order moved its motherhouse operations to Dayton, and the number of sisters residing at Maria Stein had declined to a point where the order needed help to oversee and maintain property and holdings. In December 2017, the convent transferred the deed to the shrine’s board of directors.
Travis is often amazed to see license plates from throughout the country in the parking lot. Visitors also come from places like New Zealand, Germany, and Switzerland, drawn there mostly by word of mouth.
Most visitors linger in the two chapels, viewing the relics and colorful stained glass windows imported from Germany.
In the main building, the first floor includes a reception area and a large gift shop. The Heritage Museum on the second floor offers a detailed history of the shrine, with displays showing how early nuns supported the congregation. In addition to creating and selling religious statues made from papier-mâché, they also fashioned vestments with intricate hand-sewn detail, tatted lace, and crocheted altar cloths. The order was mostly self-sufficient, growing vegetables and raising livestock.
The nuns also baked bread and pastries both for their own needs and to serve visitors. Today volunteers bake goods to be served at the Brunner Bake Shop on the third floor. The adjacent Gathering Place is often used for meetings, programs, meals, and social events.
The building’s fourth floor has not been remodeled and is not currently in use, according to Travis — getting there would be a problem anyway, as the elevator only serves three floors.
Numerous events are held on the grounds every year. The largest of those — the three-day Maria Stein Countryfest each June — is a collaboration with the local Knights of St. John and American Legion Post 571, and features a tractor pull, amusement rides, concessions, and live music, as well as a pilgrimage that is a decades-old tradition.
Travis calls the Shrine’s 180 volunteers the “heartbeat” of the organization, since it employs a small staff. Proceeds from the ongoing heritage fundraising campaign, seasonal events, shop sales, and rental fees from the Gathering Place help maintain the facility.
“The Precious Blood sisters entrusted us with their legacy, and we are committed to preserving it for generations to come,” Travis says. “This is a place for all faiths, offering an atmosphere of peace, prayer, and hospitality.”
Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics, 2291 St. Johns Rd., Maria Stein. www.mariasteinshrine.org.
