Faith Filled Friday: Our Lady of the Delaware Memorial Bridge

Just off the Delaware Memorial Bridge on the Delaware side, there stands a 34 foot tall stainless steel statue of the Virgin Mary.  I had passed it on the way back and forth to Maryland several times.  When one is driving, you don’t usually see it because you have to focus on the traffic, but one year on a bus ride down to the annual March for Life we on the bus saw it as we went by.  Since then I have looked for it several times and if you’re looking for it while driving you can catch a quick glimpse.  Yesterday I had a business trip down to Maryland which ended early, and so I had time on the way back to stop and look for it.  It wasn’t hard once you googled it. 

So if you’re looking for it, it is located just off of I-295 at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in New Castle, Delaware. 

According to Roadside America: 

 

She's officially Our Lady Queen of Peace, but unofficially Our Lady of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, since she stands in clear sight of thousands of travelers who cross the bridge from New Jersey into Delaware every day.

The original statue actually stands in Santa Clara, California and is only 32 feet tall.  It was built in 1980 and put on display in several cities.  Another was built for Chicago, which ultimately ended up in Indiana.

But Catholics in Delaware really wanted one too.  Again from the Roadside America article:

 

Spurred to act, the Catholics of Delaware spent over seven years raising funds for their own giant steel Mary. According to the campaign's organizers, supporters contributed $500,000 and prayed more than 800,000 rosaries. One wealthy donor successfully got Mary to have the face of Our Lady of Medjugorje, a Mary who made multiple appearances in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

So I had the time and found it.  Here are some pictures.  First the informational plaque.

Here are a series of photos, starting from afar and getting closer.

You can see the Immaculate Heart is represented.  I can’t say the statue is as lovely as a Michelangelo, but it grew on me as I kept contemplating on her.

If you’re interested in what her back looks like, here.

 

The shrine also has a beautiful set of Stations of the Cross.  I didn’t take pictures of all fourteen stations, but here is a picture of station 12, the Crucifixion. 

If you’re ever passing the Delaware Memorial Bridge, a half hour stop to Our Lady Queen of Peace is well worthwhile.