A Place of Sanctuary
Bringing The Grotto to You
Daily Spiritual Reflection

Lord, you are the bread of life.

You provide the food that nourishes my body, the love that blesses my relationships with family and friends, and the Word that enlightens my soul with joy.

In the uncertainty of these days, you fill my life with the signs of love that remind me that you are ever close.

In my hunger for a normal life and my thirst to be close to loved ones keep me focused on you who promises to be my hope in all things.

You are my light and salvation.

Amen.

F r. Don Siple, OSM, Rector of The Grotto
Light a Candle at The Grotto

Purchase a candle to be lighted at The Grotto. Your candle will burn for seven days in the outdoor cradles by The Grotto.

Your support will help The Grotto continue its ministry through this difficult time.

Bringing The Grotto to You

We will continue to share a piece of The Grotto with you each day until Masses resume and our gardens open. We hope this feature brings you joy.

Please share our emails with friends and family. Help spread the word that The Grotto is here, and looking forward to the glorious day when we can reopen our gates.
Day 45: The Grotto by the Numbers
Fun Facts by the Numbers

We hope you enjoy this installment of "Bringing The Grotto to You."

Today, we share some fun facts about The Grotto ... with a numeric twist.
96
Years since The Grotto was founded by Servite Father Ambrose Mayer in 1924. We look forward to our Centennial celebration in 2024.
236
Number of rose bushes which are planted in The Grotto Rose Garden, located in the scenic Upper Gardens.
2
Tons of food donated to SnowCap, an East Portland food bank, which was gathered at last year's Christmas Festival of Lights.
60,000
Estimated number of attendees at the First International Marian Congress at The Grotto in 1934.
107
Units of blood collected by the Red Cross at our blood drives in the past year. Each unit has the potential to save three lives.
150
Number of feet above Our Lady's Grotto that the bronze statue of Mary stands. The statue weighs 2,600 lbs.
1233
The year the Order of Friar Servants of Mary was founded in Florence, Italy. The Grotto is a ministry of the Servite Friars.
73,260
Square feet of lawn which has to be mowed by The Grotto's grounds crew throughout the year.
52
Number of miles north of the Meditation Chapel beautiful Mt. St. Helens comes into view. The Meditation Chapel is located in the Upper Gardens.
200
Number of different saints medals available in The Grotto Gift Shop. The Gift Shop is currently open for curbside shopping.
150
The number of different countries where those who visited our website (thegrotto.org) during the past year live.
3,000
Dollars spent on a down payment by Fr. Ambose Mayer when he purchased our property from the Union Pacific Railroad.
125
The height in feet of the elevator that takes visitors from the lower level of The Grotto to the beautiful Upper Gardens.
7,875
Feet of paved pathway for you to explore when you visit The Grotto. That's approximately one and a half miles.
2,200,000
Approximate number of lights strung at last year's Christmas Festival of Lights.
62
Acres of land The Grotto sits on. The buildings and gardens are surrounded by a dense forest of tall firs, a true sanctuary in the middle of the city.
Share your Stats

We hope you have enjoyed this installment of "Bringing The Grotto to You."

Do you have any interesting stats to share?

How many years you've been visiting The Grotto?
How many times you performed with a choir in the chapel?
How many waffle sandwiches you have eaten at the Festival?

We would love to hear about it.

Please email Jane Tokito at jtokito@thegrotto.org to share your story.

For more information about some of the places featured here, pease click here to view earlier editions of "Bringing The Grotto to You."
Mass Enrollment Cards
Perpetual Enrollment in The Grotto’s Guild of Masses and Prayer honors yourself, your family or your loved ones, and provides support for The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother.

The Grotto Gift Shop

The Grotto Gift Shop is open for curbside pick-up or online shipping during our closure. You can shop online, or check out our Curbside Shopping page on our website.

If you do not see what you are looking for, feel free to contact our director of retail operations by  clicking here .

Looking for something for Mother's Day? How about a Gift Certificate to The Grotto Gift Shop? Available online or for curbside pickup.
The Series

We hope you are enjoying our daily feature A Place of Sanctuary: Bringing The Grotto to You.

Week 1
St. Francis of Assisi
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day
St. Anne's Chapel
St. Joseph's Grove
The Marilyn Moyer Meditation Chapel
Spring in the Garden
Our Lady's Grotto

Week 2
St. Jude Thaddeus
Statue of Mary, Our Mother
The Pollinator Garden
St. Philip Benizi's Retreat
Pathways of The Grotto
St. Peregrine Shrine
The Servites

Week 3
Here Light Shines
The Peace Garden
Dambana
Looking Up
Feast of Our Lady at the Foot of the Cross
The Rose Garden
Palm Sunday, The Christus Garden

Week 4
Crosses and Crucifixes
Sacred Heart Statue
Angels of The Grotto
Holy Thursday of The Lord's Supper
Good Friday, Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday, Via Matris
Easter Sunday

Week 5
The Forest
Blessing of the Animals
Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine
Colors of The Grotto
Mysteries of the Rosary
Lighting a Candle
Chapel of Mary

Week 6
Come to the Water
Our Lady of Lavang Shrine
Celebrating God's Creation
Our Lady of Lourdes
The Labyrinth
Looking Out a Window
How The Grotto Began

Week 7
The Cliff and Elevator
Lithuanian Wayside Shrine
Today: The Grotto by the Number
The Grotto
The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother

NE 85th & Sandy Blvd.
Portland, Oregon

503-254-7371