Secrets of Seneca County Historical Driving Tour | Sorrowful Mother Shrine

Embark on a captivating journey through the wondrous past of Seneca County, Ohio, with the Secrets of Seneca County Historical Driving Tour! The next stop on the journey is: Sorrowful Mother Shrine (4106 OH-269, Bellevue, OH 44811, Stop #14)

Fr. Francis de Sales Brunner, a Swiss-born priest of the Congregation of the Precious Blood, led a group of seven priests and seven brothers across the Atlantic in early 1844 as a response to Archbishop John Purcell of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Purcell had requested a team of missionaries to minister to the large population of German-speaking Catholics in western and central Ohio. At the time, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati covered the territory of Ohio, Michigan, and parts of Wisconsin. Shortly after Brunner arrived in America, he and his fellow missionaries set to work assisting the German-speaking Catholics as planning was underway for the New Riegel community by August 1844. Fr. Brunner would then say the first Mass at Tiffin St. Joseph on August 24, 1845,  for that German congregation. 

One of Fr. Brunner’s most far-reaching accomplishments was the establishment of the Sorrowful Mother Shrine. In 1850, he was attracted to a wooded area where he decided to build a small brick chapel in honor of The Sorrowful Mother as she had guided him and the other priests to America. He also wanted to thank Mary for the suffering and sorrows she endured during Christ’s Passion and Death. This became a popular place of pilgrimage for the German Catholic settlers in the area. 

In 1870, a larger chapel was constructed. Sadly, on August 15, 1912, the chapel caught fire and burned down along with the original wood statue that Fr. Brunner had brought from Germany. Within two years a new chapel was constructed in its place adorned with beautiful stained-glass windows, ceiling paintings depicting the seven sorrows of Mary, and a bell tower. Here is a vintage postcard probably not long after the new chapel was built.  At the time the surrounding community was known as Frank, Ohio.

An outdoor chapel called the Pieta Chapel was built and dedicated in 1968 to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims, especially from many parts of Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada. With over 120,000 visitors a year from different ethnicities, the Shrine  offers designated Sundays during the summer months such as Slovenian Sunday, Philippine Sunday, African – American Sunday and more. These days celebrate each’s  rich Catholic culture and tradition. 

The Shrine also has testaments to miracles. Although not officially approved by the Catholic Church, they are at least answered prayers. There are crutches, casts and other items left by pilgrims that are hung on the walls surrounding the altar in the main Chapel. Healing is an integral part of the identity of the Shrine, whether it be spiritual, mental, or physical.

In addition to the chapels, there are 120 acres of beautiful woodlands with winding pathways along which are placed 40 areas for meditation or prayer. Many of these 40 grottos were erected through donations from grateful pilgrims. The woods draw Catholics and non-Catholics alike who seek  an opportunity to experience Nature in the lovely plantings, numerous varieties of birds, deer, and other wildlife. There is a serene peacefulness that draws many people to repeated visits.

This Shrine that Fr. Brunner began in Seneca County is  one of the oldest Marian Shrines in the Midwest and it is still owned and operated by the Congregation of the Precious Blood. Next year (2025), the Sorrowful Mother Shrine will be celebrating  its 175^th  Anniversary. Learn more here.