A monumental church. That’s what Bishop Ambrose Senyshyn envisioned for Washington DC’s Ukrainian Catholic community. This is the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family. He wasn’t wrong.
The Shrine wasn’t built overnight. It began in 1949. Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky established Holy Family Parish. This was to serve the growing Ukrainian population. The nearest Ukrainian parishes were far away. In Baltimore and Manassas. Fr. Vladimir Wozniak became the first pastor. He had a special devotion to the Holy Family. This is why the parish was named thus.
The parish moved four times before settling on its current site in 1975. Three acres of land. Overlooking the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Construction began. Bishop Basil H Losten named the project The Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family.
In 1979 Pope John Paul II blessed the cornerstone of the lower church. The Great Upper Church was completed in 1999. A testament to the perseverance of a community. A beacon of faith in the nation’s capital.
Today the Shrine stands tall. It’s a visible testament to Ukrainian Catholic heritage. A place of worship. A place of pilgrimage. For Ukrainians visiting Washington DC it truly feels like home. The Shrine is more than just a building. It’s a story of faith. A story of resilience. A story waiting to be discovered. A story of the Holy Family. A story of Ukraine. A story in the heart of Washington DC.