National Shrine of the Holy Hill | |
 The Basilica of the Holy Hill | |
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| Location | 1525 Carmel Rd.,Hubertus,Wisconsin |
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| Coordinates | 43°14′42″N88°19′38″W / 43.24500°N 88.32722°W /43.24500; -88.32722 |
| Area | 21 acres (8.5 ha) |
| Architect | Hermann J. Gaul,Richard Philipp |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000139[1] |
| Added to NRHP | March 12, 1992 |
The Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians at the Holy Hill is aRoman Catholic Marianshrine inHubertus, Wisconsin,United States, dedicated to theBlessed Virgin Mary under the venerated titleHelp of Christians.[2] The land and the shrine serves as areligious pilgrimage and attracts approximately 300,000 visitors each year.
Pope Benedict XVI raised the shrine to the status ofMinor Basilica viaPontifical Decree on 11 July 2006.
The shrine is located atop a highkame in 400 acres (1.6 km2) of woods. Visitors can climb a 178-step observation tower to view theMilwaukee skyline, about thirty miles (50 km) southeast.[3] At approximately 1,350 feet (410 m) abovesea level, it is one of the highest points in southeasternWisconsin.
Near Wisconsin'sIce Age Trail, it is about four miles (6.5 km) east ofErin Hills, a championshipgolf course which hosted theU.S. Open in2017.
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Tradition says that the hill was first discovered by Europeans 353 years ago in 1673 byFather Jacques Marquette withLouis Jolliet.[4] However, modern historians view this tradition as untrue, though the Order of theSociety of Jesus were likely the firstCatholic priests to set foot on the hill.[citation needed]
TheU.S. government owned the land until 1855,[5] and the hill was known as "Government Hill" becausesurveying work was done there. Forty acres were purchased by Fr. Paulhuber ofSalzburg,Austria.[5]
The first white resident of the hill was ahermit named François Soubrio.[6] Around 1862, an area farmer found him living on the hill. Soubrio had heard about the hill when he was working as an assistant to a retired professor inQuebec, Canada. He had found an old French diary and map dated 1676 showing a cone-shaped mountain in Wisconsin. The diary described how the author placed a stonealtar, raised across, and dedicated the hill toJesus's motherMary. The diary account corresponds with Jesuit missionary work in the area between 1673 and 1679.[5]
The name "Holy Hill" was first given to the place byIrish settlers in the area.[6] Father George Strickner dedicated a log chapel as the first Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians on May 24, 1863.[7] A set of wooden crosses were placed for theStations of the Cross in 1875. In the winter of 1879, Fr. Raess sent a proposal toArchbishopJohn Henni to construct a new shrine to Mary. Construction began that spring. Pilgrims began flocking to the shrine, and it was decided that a religious order should administer the shrine. A group ofDiscalced Carmelites came fromBavaria at the invitation of ArchbishopSebastian Messmer, and the Shrine of Mary was put under their care on June 26, 1906.[8] The building now known as the Old Monastery Inn and Retreat Center was completed in 1920. The second shrine was removed in 1925 so that a third shrine could be built. The cornerstone of the third and present shrine was placed by Archbishop Messmer on August 22, 1926.[5] The present church was completed andconsecrated in 1931.[5]
Another tradition describes a German priest who was recreant to his vows and came to America forpenance. He found a reference to the hill in Marquette's diary and decided to take apilgrimage. He became ill inChicago, and wasparalyzed. He reportedly found the hill, crawled to the summit on his hands, and was cured of his paralysis.[4]
The Basilica offersCatholic Masses, services, and Marian devotions daily.
The Basilica church was built in 1930.[2] At its entrance are two eight-foot-tall statues which were placed there in 1958: statue on the left depicts St. Mary, Help of Christians and the one on the right depictsSt. Joseph, protector of the Carmelites. The interior featuresmosaics of the Founders of theDiscalced Carmelite Order,St. Teresa of Jesus (of Avila) andSt. John of the Cross.
The church underwent a $6.1 million renovation between 2002 and 2006.[2] The renovations included extensive interior decorative painting, faux stone and mosaic byConrad Schmitt Studios[9][10] and exterior repairs, including a new slate roof for the monastery, main church, and bell tower.[2]
On June 6, 2006, being numerically signified as "06/06/06", vandals spray-painted the church and several shrines with expletives and references toSatan and theNumber of the Beast.[2] The vandals were two teenage boys.[7] The cost of removing the graffiti was more than $33,000.
On May 26, 2013, four new cast-bronze entry doors were dedicated by ArchbishopJerome E. Listecki. ArchitectDuncan G. Stroik designed the doors, which contain scenes sculpted by artist Cody Swanson:St. Teresa of Avila, theAnnunciation withSt. Mary andSt. Gabriel the Archangel, andSt. John of the Cross.
The shrine is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. On July 16, 2006, a Mass was held celebrating 100 years of Carmelite stewardship at the site. During that Mass it was announced thatPope Benedict XVI (the reigning pope at the time) had named Holy Hill aminor basilica.[11]Holy Hill was dedicated as a minor basilica by ArchbishopTimothy Dolan on November 19, 2006. There are about 85 minor basilicas in the United States.[12][13]
New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan drew a large crowd of Catholics and well-wishers to Holy Hill on April 28, 2012, for a special Mass of Thanksgiving, some arriving as early as 4:30 a.m. to ensure a spot in the historic Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians.
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