St. Anthony Shrine - Graymoor

St. Anthony Shrine – Graymoor

It all started in 1912 when Father Paul, the founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, assisted by Brother Anthony, admired a large statue of St. Anthony they had just installed in the St. Francis Chapel.

At that moment, Father Paul was handed a letter from a mother in Philadelphia, pleading for the health of her desperately ill baby, Anthony.

Father Paul and Brother Anthony immediately knelt before the statue and asked St. Anthony to intercede for Baby Anthony’s life.

A few weeks later a letter arrived telling Fr. Paul of Baby Anthony’s amazing recovery. The lady included a small donation to show her gratitude for Fr. Paul’s prayers.

Fr. Paul Receives Petition to St. Anthony

From then on Fr. Paul would kneel every night at St. Anthony statue and read the many petitions sent to him.

This was the

beginning of what would become the Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony — and Fr. Paul’s dream for a great shrine or church to be built at Graymoor to honor St. Anthony.

Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony Begins

By the 1920’s, work had begun on Father Paul’s “grand shrine” – a church he hoped would become the National Shrine to St. Anthony.

At the ground-breaking dedication, in January 1928, he “proclaimed St. Anthony of Padua to be the greatest of the sons of St. Francis . . . and great procurator of the Friars.”

Fr. Paul Dream’s of Grand Shrine to St. Anthony

The Great Depression Slows Progress on Shrine

Many readers of Fr. Paul’s magazine – The Lamp – supported Fr. Paul’s dream of building a great shrine to St. Anthony and by June 1935, the lower level of the church – the crypt chapel– was complete.

Fr. Paul held fast to his dream of building a wonderful shrine. However, he died in February 1940.

His body was placed in the crypt chapel.

Temporary St. Anthony Shrines Throughout the years the

number of petitions to the Friars for inclusion in the Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony continued to grow.

Thousands of pilgrims came each year to Graymoor to celebrate St. Anthony’s Feast Day.

Temporary shrines to St. Anthony were erected during many feast days.

Fr. Paul’s dream of a grand shrine to

St. Anthony was finally realized in 1960.

In 1960, Graymoor had its first permanent Shrine to St. Anthony erected at the Northern end of the property, adjacent to Pilgrim Hall. The Shrine was located behind the Altar of the Atonement at the end of the Stations of the Cross promenade.

For the past 50 years, the Shrine has been the destination for tens of thousands of pilgrims who have come to Graymoor to celebrate Mass at the St. Anthony Shrine.

“We do not believe that a more beautiful site could have been selected ...” Fr. Paul Wattson, SA

2007 - Damaged by Fire In 2007, a fire, caused

by the heat of the many votive candles placed at the base of the Altar charred the marble and marred its surface with candle wax.

The Friars turned to their generous Benefactors for help in repairing the beloved shrine.

The Benefactors responded by providing the funds to restore the Shrine in time for its Golden Jubilee.

Outstanding Efforts to Repair Shrine for Golden Jubilee

For the past two years, Friars and the Graymoor Staff have worked diligently to repair the Shrine and the surrounding area in preparation for today’s celebration of the Shrine’s Golden Jubilee.

Alpha & Omega Altar Added

In 1932, the Alpha & Omega Altar was hewn from the granite of the Holy Mountain by the “Brothers Christophers” who stayed at the Friars’ St. Christopher’s Inn.

Originally placed at St. Christopher’s, the Friars decided to place it at the Shrine to commemorate this very special occasion.

2010 marked the Golden Jubilee of the St.

Anthony Shrine. Today we continue to strive towards the continuation of Fr. Paul’s legacy and vision for Graymoor.

With your help, the Friars are working to refurbish the Holy Mountain, inspired by Fr. Paul’s vision of a world where men and women are at one with each other, with nature, and with God.

THANK YOU!Fr. Paul’s Vision Continues at the

Holy Mountain of Graymoor

In this spirit, the Holy Mountain will be ready for the future: a monument to the at-one-ment,

which was Christ’s gift to the world.

Visit: AtonementFriars.org/SAShrineTo learn how you can help preserve

St. Anthony Shrine - Graymoor