A sixty five foot tall concrete cross sits on top of an Oregon hill, visible from miles away. The sanctuary below holds a cave carved directly into basalt rock, complete with a marble replica of a famous sculpture.
In nineteen thirty four, this place hosted the first International Marian Congress held in the United States, a major event that drew attention from Catholic communities far beyond the state.
A nun once claimed she saw the Virgin Mary here, and the site has drawn visitors ever since. I turned off the busy road and suddenly found myself surrounded by towering trees and complete quiet…