The Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (WMOF Papal Pilgrimage to Philadelphia 2015)

The visit to this shrine rivals Mary as the Undoer of Knots as our very favorite part of this pilgrimage. Shana and I would stand in awe of Mary our Mother while we were able to pray in the chapel alone. In actuality, the shrine was CLOSED and they opened it again just for us! First, we spent time in the gift shop where we would find the perfect commemoration of the trip for Shana, a Rosary infused with the water from Lourdes. We looked at a few other interesting things as well, such as the different visions of Catharine Laboure as she received the gift of the Miraculous Medal. Then, in true Noelle style, I snuck up to the shrine with Shana long before the group made it up there. We just stood there in awe of being in a holy place with Our Mother who brought us together. Then, in the cruciform architecture and in the right hand alcove, we saw her: Mary. Lit in sunset lighting (see the last picture), we stood in awe of the beautiful mosaics and of the gold all around her. Turns out that the lighting changes due to the time of day (see below). It wasn't long before Shana and I knelt down to pray together. When the rest of the pilgrimage arrived, we learned that the tour guide had been miraculously healed from bone cancer by Mary through her medal. Not sure why he chose to tell us privately about that, but I'm sure glad he did! You can see him in the second to last picture.  It was also one of those rare instances where Mary graces the space above the altar (instead of a Crucifix).  We learned that, supposedly, this was a representation of the Immaculate Conception and not the Assumption.  The only place I've ever seen Mary behind the altar was in Saint Mary's in Ohio, on the way up to Marlene's funeral.  That was the day that church became a Basilica.  Further, the other really neat thing about this shrine (other than the blue lights everywhere) was the second class relic of the Blessed Mother.  We have only seen one other:  the piece of Mary's Veil.  You can see me praying in front of this new one here:  it is a piece of the chair the Blessed Mother sat in during Catherine Laboure's visions!  There is also an exact replica of the full chair found in France.  We have seen  BOTH second class relics of the Blessed Mother that exist!  And, of course, there aren't any first class relics of Mary because she was assumed into heaven, body and soul.