The Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St. Augustine, Florida, is a site of great historical and religious significance in the United States. Located on the site where Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded the city in 1587, the shrine is part of the Nombre de Dios Mission, founded by Franciscans in 1565. The first Catholic Mass on American soil was celebrated here on September 8, 1565, marking the beginning of the Catholic presence in the country. In 1609, a small chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of La Leche, becoming the first Marian shrine in the United States. Devotion to the nursing Virgin, though with ancient roots, was especially popular in 16th-century Spain, where the first settlers came from.
Over the centuries, the shrine has faced many challenges, including destruction by artillery and hurricanes. The current chapel, built in 1915, houses a replica of the original statue of Our Lady of La Leche. In 2019, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops elevated the site to National Shrine status, recognizing its historical and spiritual significance. Today, the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche is a place of pilgrimage and prayer for visitors specially for married couples. The complex, which includes the Grand Cross, Our Lady of La Leche Chapel, Rosary Garden, and the site of the original church, offers pilgrims a space for reflection and devotion in a setting that combines early American history with a deep spiritual tradition.
- Address
101 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084, US - Web
https://missionandshrine.org/ - Visiting Hours
From Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00. Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00 - What to see
Rosary Garden, Great Cross, Statue of Our Lady of La Leche
