Washington, DC: Holy Land of America - Catacombs Replica

Franciscan monks have a replica of Rome's catacombs underneath their chapel.

Really a great find. Very peaceful grounds, and the monk that showed us around was very knowledgeable and even funny! We've been to the real Holy Land and this is a great replica of it! The birthplace of Jesus is the star in the picture. Also has the Hail Mary in every known language. Great gift shop for religious items.

Visited the Franciscan Monastery in DC on a bright sunny day. The outside of the church and the gardens were very pretty and peaceful. The replicas inside of the Holy Sepulchre and the catacombs were interesting but kind of cheesy. Purgatory Chapel was definitely creepy...and there is an actual corpse of a saint buried down in the catacombs. Worth the trip though, as it's peaceful and off the beaten path.

The Franciscan Monastery in DC is a trip! The gardens, with their grottoes and Stations of the Cross, and the church are actually quite peaceful and pretty. The catacombs under the church (open only if you're taking a free tour, locked with a gate otherwise) are air conditioned! Just don't drift away from the tour and get locked down there! Everything is clean and well lit. Reminds me of a funny thing my husband overheard on a tour of the real thing catacombs in Rome: "Hey! I wanna see a body!" The religious gift shop attached to the church is HUGE!