A PEACEFUL PLACE - St. Frances Cabrini Shrine

Location: 701 Fort Washington Avenue near 190th Street, Washington Heights, Manhattan

The beautiful St. Frances Cabrini Shrine is a large chapel that houses the remains of the saint enclosed in a glass coffin resting beneath the main altar. There is a large 3-story tall stained glass window depicting the Saint in the back of the chapel and her restored carriage is on display at the bottom of the window.

The altar is surrounded by a large scale mosaic composed of various types of marble and Venetian gilded glass it depicts scenes from her life.

Mother Cabrini was a Catholic nun who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in her native Italy and immigrated to the United States in 1889 with the purpose of helping the many Italian immigrants that were living in New York at the time. In 1899 she bought property located at what is now 190th Street and Fort Washington Avenue to build a school for middle class girls. The tuition from the school used to fund orphanages and free schools for the poor.

She died in 1917, was beatified in 1938 and canonized a saint in 1946. Her chapel was built in 1959.

There is a small display of relics and other items and a gift shop.

Use the accessible ramp to enter the Chapel via a side door.

The first part of the ramp will give you access to the main entrance and gift shop only.

To enter the chapel when you reach the top of the first section, turn left and continue to the top of the ramp to a side door that leads into the chapel.

Accessible restrooms are available.

WEBSITE: St. Francis Cabrini Shrine

ADMISSION: Free

OPEN HOURS: Tuesday thru Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Closed Mondays and major holidays

PLEASE NOTE: this is an active church with the following Mass schedule

English Mass: Sunday 9:30 AM and 11:00AM with Adoration from 1:00 - 2:30

Tuesday thru Friday: Noon followed by Adoration

Saturday at 9:30 AM

Spanish Mass: Sunday at 3:00 PM and Last Saturday of the Month at 2:00 PM

DIRECTIONS: M4 Bus to 190th Street in Washington Heights

Closest subway station with accessible elevators is 175th Street on the A train

NEARBY: Fort Tryon Park

Cloisters Museum (the Medieval Branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art)