Shrine

A shrine, from the Latin "scrinium" (‘box’; also used as a desk, like the French "bureau") was originally a container, usually made of precious materials, used especially for a relic and often a cult image. By extension it has come to mean a holy or sacred place containing the reliquary or tomb dedicated to a particular hero, martyr, saint or similar figure of awe and respect. Shrines may be enclosures within temples, home altars, and sacred burial places. Secular meanings have developed by association, as noted below. A shrine at which offerings are made is called an altar.

Religious shrines

.

Religious traditions that have founded shrines include Christian denominations, such as Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity; [Other Protestant denominations have historically opposed veneration of saints and establish no shrines.] ; Hinduism; Buddhism; Shinto; and Islam (mainly Shia).

Muslims have differing opinions on shrines and the intercession of saints: "And the mosques are for Allah (Alone): so invoke not anyone along with Allah" Sura Al-Jinn:18 (72:18)). The only major mosques according to Sunni Muslims are in the following order: 1- Masjid al Haram 2- Masjid al-Nabawi 3- Al-Aqsa Mosque (A mosque on the holy Temple Mount, which is a place visited by both Jewish and Christian pilgrims).
Shi'ism maintains a tradition of venerating late religious leaders (as there is no hierarchical church, the bond is personal; but often a 'successor', sometimes even a son, maintains a following) and/or martyrs (usually at their grave); thus the Persian word "imamzadeh". There are also sunnite equivalents, as among the ascetic marabouts of West Africa and the Maghreb.

A Buddhist shrine sometimes requires a symbolic architecture called a stupa. Early Buddhist shrines may be located in sacred caves.

In Shinto and in Roman Catholicism, small portable shrines are often carried in religious processions.

is required." Catholic shrines are therefore normally churches which for historical or other reasons have become the destination of pilgrimages.

Another use of the term "shrine" in colloquial Catholic terminology is a niche or alcove in most - especially larger - churches used by parishioners when praying privately in the church. They were also called Devotional Altars, since they could look like small Side Altars. Shrines were always centered on some image of Christ or a saint - for instance, a statue, painting, mural or mosaic, and may have had a reredos behind them (without a Tabernacle built in). However, Mass would not be celebrated at them; they were simply used to aid or give a visual focus for prayers. Side altars where Mass could actually be celebrated were used in a similar way to shrines by parishioners. Side Altars were specifically dedicated to The Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph or other saints.

The long Roman Catholic tradition of veneration of saints has produced an impressive number of notable shrines, some of truly international renoun. There are separate articles on:
*basilica
*Shrines to the Virgin Mary

Shrine may also designate a small altar in a home or place of business, or a room or item of furniture which is decorated with religious symbols and used for private worship, as was common in the polytheist periods of Classical Antiquity. Devotions are generally to ancestral or tutelary spirits.

Yard shrines

Small outdoor yard shrines are found at the places of many peoples following various religions, especially historic Christianity. Many consist of a statue of Christ or a saint on a pedestal or in an alcove, while others may be elaborate groupings including paintings, statuary, and architectual elements such as walls, roofs, glass doors, ironwork fences, and so on.

In Red Sox Nation, many Christians (especially Anglican and Roman Catholic) have small yard shrines; some of these greatly resemble side altars, since they are composed of a statue placed in a niche or grotto; this type is colloquially referred to as a "bathtub Madonna". Nativity scenes are also a form of yard shrine.

ecular shrines

In the United States and some other countries, landmarks may be called "historic shrines." Notable shrines of this type include:
* The Alamo
* Fort McHenry
* Saint Anne Parish and Shrine in Fall River, Massachusetts
* Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island
* Shrine of Remembrance, a war memorial in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
* Shrine of Remembrance, a war memorial in Brisbane, Australia.

By extension the term "shrine" has come to mean any place (or virtual cyber-place) dedicated completely to a particular person or subject.

List of shrines

The list of those considered at least of national importance comprises none in Africa, but on all other continents:

Europe

One in Austria:
*Basilica Mariä Geburt in Mariazell, Styria

In Belgium:
* The shrine of Our Lady at Scherpenheuvel in Flanders

Two in Croatia:
*minor basilica of the Mother Mary of Bistrica
*National Shrine of St. Joseph on Dubovac in Karlovac

One in the Czech Republic:
* St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague

Four in France:
*Minor Basilica (upper church) of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes
*Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris
*Cathedral of Our Lady in Reims, where the French kings were crowned
*National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians in Nice

In Germany:
*Shrine of the Three Kings at Cologne Cathedral

One in Ireland:
*the minor basilica of Our Lady of Knock Queen of Ireland [BVM] in Knock

Two pontifical minor basilicas in Italy:
* The shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary cathedral at Loreto in Italy
*Pontifical Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua, conventual

One in Latvia:
*minor basilica of BVM Assumption in Aglona

One in Malta:
*the minor basilica of National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu [BVM Assumption] in Għarb

Four main shrines in Poland:
* Divine Mercy Shrine in Płock
* Shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Częstochowa
* Wawel Cathedral of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus in Kraków
* JHS Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki
* Sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń in Licheń Stary

The main shrine in Portugal:
*Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Fatima

Three minor basilicas in Spain:
* The shrine of the Apostle Saint James the Great at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, historically the third Catholic pilgrimage destination after Jerusalem and Rome
*Santuario Nacional de la Gran Promesa [JHS Heart] in Valladolid
*Mare de Déu de Montserrat [BVM] in Terrassa

Five in the UK:
*The shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Walsingham (England)
*The shrine of St Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey (England)
*The shrine of St Winifred at Holywell (Wales)
*Welsh National Shrine of Our Lady of Cardigan, Wales
*The National Shrine of Saint Boniface at Crediton (England) [http://www.saintboniface.info/ website]
*The Shrine of Our Lady of Westminster in Westminster Cathedral

North America

Seven in Canada:
* The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in Quebec, a shrine to honour Saint Anne.

One in Mexico:
* minor Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

Fifty-five in the USA:
* Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago, IL (first Latin Mass shrine in the world)
* The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC in the United States
* The Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at Mount Saint Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland
* The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois
* The National Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church in Royal Oak, Michigan
* Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York
* Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Hubertus, Wisconsin
* Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine in Orlando, Florida
* The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament [http://www.olamshrine.com/olam/welcome.htm] in Hanceville, Alabama
* The Light Of Truth Universal Shrine [http://www.lotus.org/] in Buckingham, Virginia
* Jaffa Shrine [http://jaffamosque.nb.net/] in Altoona, Pennsylvania
* The National Shrine of St. Katherine Drexel in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
* The National Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos in New Orleans,Louisiana
* The Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio

Central America

Two in Cuba

One in Nicaragua

One in Panama

outh America

Asia

Two in China.

In Japan:

*Shinto shrine(Jinja)

Two in India:
* One international shrine, in Ernakulam – Angamaly, of the Syro-Malabar rite:
* Shrine Vailankanni Basilica Vailankanni in India

Many Islamic shrines all over the Middle East, especially revered by the Shia. Notable ones include:
* Imam Ali Mosque, Najaf, Iraq – tomb of Ali, the cousin of Muhammad and First Shī`a Imām
* Imam Husayn Shrine, Karbala, Iraq – tomb of Husayn, the son of Ali, grandson of Muhammad and Third Twelver Shī`a Imām
* Hadhrat Abbas Shrine, Karbala, Iraq – tomb of Abbās, the brother of Husayn
* Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque, Damascus, Syria – tomb of Zaynab, the sister of Husayn
* Al Kadhimiya Mosque, Kadhimayn, Iraq – tomb of the Seventh and Ninth Twelver Shī`a Imāms
* Al Askari Mosque, Samarra, Iraq – tomb of the Tenth and Eleventh Twelver Shī`a Imāms
* Imam Ridha Shrine, Mashhad, Iran – tomb of the Eighth Twelver Shī`a Imām

Fifteen in the Philippines.

Two in Sri Lanka.

Oceania

All four are in Australia, in only two major cities:
*in Sydney, St. Mary's Cathedral, a minor basilica
*in Melbourne: St. Anthony's National Shrine, National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and National Shrine of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Eastern Orthodox

* Mount Athos in Greece.
* Pochaïv Lavra in Ukraine
* Supraśl Lavra in Poland

Bahá'í

The two most well-known Bahá'í shrines serve as the resting places for the respective remains of the Twin Manifestations of the Bahá'í Faith, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. They are the focal points of a Bahá'í pilgrimage.
* the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, Israel.
* the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in Acre, Israel.

Shinto

Shinto temples (in Japanese, variously named "jinja", "taisha", and "jingū") are conventionally called "shrines" in English. A portable miniature version, called a mikoshi, is carried in Shinto processions.See
* [http://english.tsukudo.jp/ Tsukudo Shrine (in Tokyo)]

ee also

*Shriners (Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine) used to call their masonic assembly places temple (akin to shrine), but recently rebaptised them shriner centre
*Holiest sites in Islam

ources and references

(incomplete)
* [http://www.gcatholic.com/churches/shrine.htm GigaCatholic]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pk_pandita/hari_parbat.html Hari Parbat]

References