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Northern Michigan in Focus: Our Lady of the Woods Shrine

Anybody driving through Mio has probably seen it, but do you know the history of the ?

Corey Adkins has the story in this week’s Northern Michigan in Focus.

More than seven decades ago, a young Father Rakowski was praying and had a vision of a shrine placed on the grounds of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mio.

He wanted the shrine to be in honor of the Virgin Mary.

Word got around and a Lutheran widow, Mrs. Jakob Schild, donated a $10,000 Bianca marble statue from Rome, Italy, of the Virgin Mary in memory of her husband. Now they really needed the shrine.

With ideas flying from the community and permission from the church, Father Rakowski borrowed two shovels and started construction in June 1953.

With over 25,000 tons of Onaway stone and lots of help from the community “Our Lady of the Woods Shrine” was dedicated September 4, 1955.

Thousands of people showed up, both Catholic and non-Catholic. The shrine became known worldwide, increasing tourism in the area and increasing Father Rakowski’s parish.

“I think the whole community was better for it. I mean, I think it brought business here.  Everything was better because of it,” said Jim Lemerand, Our Lady of the Woods Shrine volunteer.

At 145 feet long and 45 feet high there’s a lot to see here, and you don’t need to be religious to enjoy the shrine.  The craftsmanship is unbelievable.

If you think you see all the shine from your car, you’re wrong. You need to walk into the grottos.

“If you think you come here and you just drive by, and you say you saw the shrine and you don’t come in here, you don’t see this,” explained Jim.

And don’t forget to check out the ceiling.

“This is what they call compression fitting, everything is one against another,” said Jim.

The right wing of the shrine is dedicated to Michigan and represents some of Father Marquette’s work and other things you might recognize like the Tahquamenon Falls, Straits of Mackinac and the Mio pond.

If you don’t walk around back, you’re cheating yourself.  The grounds are beautiful and you can see more of the apparitions that are spread around the shrine.

You’ll find another grotto that was modeled after the catacombs in Paris.

“This is the holy family gravel that is located in the back of the shrine, you have Jesus, Mary and Joseph that are more Bianca marble statues,” explained Jim.

They’ve spent the last five years restoring this special place and could use your help with donations to finish the project. Check out .

Again, you don’t have to be Catholic to visit the shrine. But don’t just drive by, they want everyone to experience it.

Starting in July they’ll be having outdoor services again and they welcome you.

“Our Lady of the Woods Shrine” in Mio, just another place that makes northern Michigan so awesome.

 

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