Historical Timeline
The Beginning
On Sept. 8, 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés landed on the Matanzas River coast and claimed the land Nombre de Dios (in the Name of God) for the Spanish Crown. Accompanying Menéndez was Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales, who celebrated the first Mass in the new colony of St. Augustine on a wooden altar. Father López, whose statue is beneath the Great Cross, was eventually named the Vicar of La Florida.
Our Lady of La Leche
The devotion to Our Lady of La Leche, which dates to the fourth century, arrived in Florida in the 17th century with Spanish settlers. The first shrine was erected around 1677, likely built by skilled craftsmen working on the Castillo de San Marcos. The foundations of this original shrine were discovered in 2011. Over the centuries, the shrine was rebuilt but later destroyed by the British.
In 1868, Bishop Augustin Verot, the apostolic vicar of La Florida, purchased an acre of land from farmer John McGuire, which included the site of the “old Spanish church.” The Diocese of St. Augustine was erected on March 11, 1870, and Bishop Verot became its first bishop. In 1875, he built a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of La Leche, believing it to be the location of the first chapel. However, a storm destroyed it the following year.
A new shrine chapel was constructed around 1915 and was refurbished in memory of Union General Martin Hardin by his widow, Mrs. Amelia Hardin, a decade later.
In 1931, Bishop Patrick Barry established an annual diocesan pilgrimage to the Shrine and formally opened the Mission Nombre de Dios grounds to the public with daily visiting hours.
In 2012, when the Vatican approved the local feast day for Our Lady of La Leche, the Congregation for Divine Worship also granted the honor of a Canonical Coronation for the revered image. The coronation was later confirmed by Pope Francis, and on October 10, 2021, Bishop Felipe J. Estévez presided over the solemn ceremony, crowning the image of Our Lady of La Leche and the Baby Jesus.
In 2019, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the Shrine as a national shrine.
Florida Martyrs
Between 1549 and 1715, 58 priests and faithful were martyred in La Florida, which included what are now Georgia, Virginia and Alabama. Those who died for the faith in what is now the Diocese of St. Augustine include:
- Jesuit Father Pedro Martínez, who was martyred by hostile natives near Jacksonville in 1566.
- The caciques or chiefs of the villages of San Mateo and San Pedro were killed in 1704 when the villages were burned by Native Americans affiliated with the British.
- Franciscan Friar Augustín Ponce de León was killed in 1705 while ministering to Christian natives.
- Don Patricio de Hinachuba, an Apalachee, was killed in 1706 by Creek warriors who were trying to eradicate Apalachee Christians.
To learn more visit Florida Martyrs. The beatification cause is now in Rome! Please ask the martyrs to pray for your special intentions, and please pray for their beatification.
Cemetery
The mission’s cemetery was used between 1884 and 1892. The graves include six Sisters of St. Joseph, Civil War Veterans, Confederate and Union soldiers, including Union Colored Troops. The remains of Native Americans that were discovered during recent excavations were interred in the early 2000s.
The Great Cross
Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley laid the cornerstone for the Great Cross on September 8, 1965, the 400th anniversary of Pedro Menéndez’s arrival. The cross was blessed in October 1966. The 208-foot Cross is one of the tallest in the world.
Our Lady of La Leche Church
Built in 1965 for the 400th anniversary, the church was dedicated in 1966 as Prince of Peace Votive Church.
In 2015, the church was expanded for the 450th anniversary. The project added 2,500 square feet of space, including the Prince of Peace Tower where you can find the Our Lady of Fatima Prayer Room, a new sacristy and altar.
Bishop Felipe J. Estévez renamed and dedicated the church as the Church of Our Lady of La Leche on the feast day, October 11, 2012. In 2019, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops declared it the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche.
Shrine Museum
Bishop Victor Galeone dedicated the Shrine Museum, built with a donation from the Crisp-Ellert Estate, on September 4, 2010. The exhibits come from the Diocesan Archives and artifacts loaned by private owners and large institutions.
The exhibits include the Coffin and Headboard of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (1574), a portrait of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés by Mark Menendez (1975), two statues of Our Lady of La Leche and archaeological artifacts from Mission Nombre de Dios excavations (1934-2019) on loan from the Historic Archaeology Department of the University of Florida.
Pilgrim Center and Pavilion
The Pilgrim Center and Pavilion was built in 2019 to replace the gift store and offices destroyed by Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. The center has the Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales Meeting Room, an outdoor Pavilion and a candle kiosk. The Pilgrim Center is designed to accommodate large groups who visit the Shrine.