A Place of Sanctuary Bringing The Grotto to You

Day 81: In Every Sense

A Sanctuary to Delight your Senses The Grotto is place of solitude, peace and prayer. It is also a place of inspiration and rejuvenation. It is a place where one can feel fully immersed in nature, art and all of God's creation. It is a true delight for all of one's senses. Today, we give you a sample of the sanctuary ... in every sense.

The Sense of Sight Every time you visit The Grotto, you see something new, or you see it from a new angle. The spectacular sights are too many to list. The gardens and the forest, the art and the architecture, the view and the cliff ... it is a photographer's dream. We hope you will come see it for yourself.

The Sense of Smell Whether it is the smell of the pine forest, or the flowers in the rose garden, or the grass after it rains ... The Grotto is full of wonderful fragrances.

The Sense of Touch The textures in nature and art are wonderful to discover by touching. While some of this may be more limited during the present pandemic, one can still enjoy imagining the feel of the bark or the rock or the leaf.

The Sense of Taste The Grotto hosts many special events throughout the year, such as our annual Crabfest. Snacks can be purchased in our Visitor Center. Waffle sandwiches are a favorite at the Christmas Festival of Lights.

The Sense of Sound Along with music at Mass, last year approximately 10,000 people performed at The Grotto, many as choir members at our Christmas Festival of Lights. Musicians playing hammered dulcimers, violins, and xylophones are a big attraction at the Festival. Outdoor piano concerts with Michael Allen Harrison in the Upper Gardens are very special. Perhaps the most relaxing sounds at The Grotto are the wonderful sounds of nature.

The Singing of the Birds Click on the video to listen to the glorious sounds of nature. Recorded in The Grotto Upper Gardens. We recommend you turn your audio up.

The Grotto The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother NE 85th & Sandy Blvd. Portland, Oregon 503-254-7371 thegrotto.org

Donate

The Grotto is a Ministry of the Servite Friars, Order of Friar Servants Mary.