Because this piece is about a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, some background on Mary is in order. We have no problem with Mariology which is the term used to describe the legitimate study of Mary. However, we do have a problem with Mariolatry. The word literally means Mary-worship. To worship Mary would be idolatry and idol worship is a sin against God. Should we pray to Mary? No. Since the mother of Jesus is in heaven she’s unable to hear our prayers. Moreover, Mary cannot connect us to God nor can she heal the sick and comfort the brokenhearted. To learn more about Mary, see our Research Paper on Roman Catholicism.
So with this background in mind, here’s RNS’s piece posted over at USA Today:
The largest Catholic church in North America is now complete.
After 100 years of construction, thousands of worshippers Friday witnessed the blessing of 24 tons of Venetian glass that embellish the dome of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Called the “Trinity Dome,” the glass mosaic is the final architectural element of the church, a shrine to Mary which sits next to the Catholic University of America and is visited by nearly 1 million people a year.
A 10-minute procession of cardinals, bishops, and priests preceded the two-hour ceremony and Mass to mark the dedication of the dome.