Tennessee is a southern state cheekily considered the “Buckle on the Bible Belt.” It’s a place known for its religious underpinnings and traditional ideas, and the Shrine of Our Lady Virgin of the Poor in New Hope, Tennessee adds a quirky aspect to a fairly conservative space. Beautiful, thoughtfully rendered, and a stunning conglomeration of religion and art, this shrine may be hard to get to but it’s well worth the trek.

Marylyn White - GoogleMaps
Out in this seemingly normal and green field in Tennessee, there's an incredible feat of architecture. Tucked away from the world, the Shrine of Our Lady Virgin of the Poor is one of the most beautiful and unknown structures in Tennessee.
Marylyn White - GoogleMaps
Located in rural New Hope, the shrine honors the apparitions of Our Lady in Banneaux, Belgium. It's actually a duplicate of the original shrine, located in Beanneaux.
Jo Allison - GoogleMaps
The shrine was constructed under the leadership of Father Basil Mattingly, a Benedictine monk, although there's very little recorded history regarding the building itself.

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Jo Allison - GoogleMaps
The beautiful attention to detail is incredible, as is the colorful face of the building.
Jo Allison - GoogleMaps
The statue found within the shrine was actually purchased in Banneaux, a nod to the shrine's origins in Belgium.
Malinda U - TripAdvisor
Although there are no scheduled masses held here, the shrine is open daily from sunrise to sunset for the personal prayer and contemplation of visitors.
Nathan Barnes/Google
Located roughly two hours from Nashville and only thirty minutes from Chattanooga, the Shrine of Our Lady Virgin of the Poor is a beautiful gem set back against the rural landscape of Tennessee. If you're in the area, it's well worth the drive.

There’s not a grand amount of information available about the shrine itself, but the Catholic Travel Guide may help to clarify any questions you may have. Just set your GPS and show up, folks!

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