The Shrine of St. Anthony

This serene and exquisite heavenly place offers an escape from the bustling city noise. It is a Roman Catholic shrine devoted to St. Anthony of Padua, a 13th-century Franciscan friar and preacher. Situated within the St. Joseph Cupertino Friary in Ellicott City, Maryland, USA.

With a history stretching back to the 18th century, the shrine's origins are intertwined with the estate's former owner, George Calvert, the inaugural Lord Baltimore and founder of Maryland. The Calvert family's ownership transitioned to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a notable signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll crafted a stately mansion on the grounds, known as Carrollton Hall, which stands to this day as a cherished historic monument.

In 1928, the Franciscan Friars acquired the estate from the Carroll family. Here, they established both a friary and a sanctuary venerating St. Anthony, crafting a legacy that endures.

The shrine offers daily Mass and confession, Eucharistic adoration, novena to St. Anthony, prayer petitions, retreats, workshops, seminars, and tours. I enjoyed the beautiful chapel, library and gardens.  Here are some of the photos taken from my visit.

A Summer day Among Sunflowers

Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and embrace the tranquility of a local farm on a beautiful summer day. Picture yourself basking in the refreshing countryside air, surrounded by vast fields of sunflowers stretching as far as the eye can see. Immerse yourself in nature's symphony as butterflies and bees dance among the cheerful sunflowers, creating a vibrant and picturesque scene. The farm comes alive with the joyful laughter of children at play, adding an extra layer of warmth to this idyllic setting.

O Street Museum

Before visiting the O Street Museum, I learned that it is a unique and creative museum that showcases the diversity and beauty of the artistic process. It is located in Washington, D.C., in five interconnected townhouses that have over 100 rooms and 32 secret doors. The museum has an ever-changing collection of architecture, paintings, photographs, sculpture, books, artifacts, memorabilia, and music from all over the world.

After my visit, I think this place is a collection of art, hats, guitars, souvenirs from other countries, etc., collected by the owner of the mansion over many years. It is also a place with each room decorated with different themes. Each room was artistically decorated with expensive stuff. It was nice to see, but I don’t think I would like to live in such a place because the rooms are overcrowded, and I would not have freedom to move around without worrying about knocking things over. Thank God, it is only a place to have fun and not to live. During our visit, we had lots of fun exploring each room and looking for secret passages and we found 4 of them. Since many items displayed can be purchased for a price, this place is truly like an expensive antique shop overcrowded with too many stuffs!! 

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  To see other hidden gems and cool place in and around DC, visit to my other blog: 

Washington DC's Cool Places and Hidden Gems (anniesbest2023.blogspot.com)