Grotto of the Redemption
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The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption is a religious shrine in West Bend, Iowa, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City. A conglomeration of nine grottos depicting scenes in the life of Jesus, it contains a large collection of minerals and petrifications and is believed to be the largest grotto in the world.<ref name="agilitynut">Grotto of the Redemption Template:Webarchive, agilitynut.com</ref>
It is also "considered to be the world's most complete man-made collection of minerals, fossils, shells, and petrifications in one place."<ref name="iowabeautiful">Template:Usurped, iowabeautiful.com</ref> The estimated value of the rocks and minerals which make up the Grotto is over $4,308,000.<ref name="csumc">Grottos of the Midwest: Religion and Patriotism in Stone Template:Webarchive, by Peyton Smith, csumc.wisc.edu</ref><ref>cited as over $4 million: Grotto of the Redemption, West Bend, Iowa, roadsideamerica.com</ref> Over 100,000 people visit each year.<ref name="iowabeautiful"/><ref>West Bend, Iowa: grotto of the redemption - West Bend, Iowa home to the Grotto of the Redemption a work of love and art depicting the life of Christ by Father Dobberstein Template:Webarchive, essortment.com</ref><ref>Passing the Torch Template:Webarchive, westbendgrotto.com</ref>
It includes a museum with precious and semiprecious stones from throughout the world, and photos and artifacts about the construction of the shrine.
HistoryEdit
Father Paul Dobberstein was a German immigrant ordained in 1897.<ref>The Artist-Father Dobberstein Template:Webarchive, westbendgrotto.com</ref> He became critically ill with pneumonia and promised to build a shrine to the Virgin Mary if she interceded for him.<ref>Grotto of the Redemption History, westbendgrotto.com</ref><ref name="roadsideamerica">Grotto of the Redemption, West Bend, Iowa, roadsideamerica.com</ref> After his recovery, he began stockpiling rocks and precious stones.<ref name="origin">Origin and Inspiration for the Great Work Template:Webarchive, westbendgrotto.com</ref> Construction of the Grotto began in 1912<ref name="origin"/><ref name="catholicglobe">West Bend - Sts. Peter and Paul Template:Webarchive, catholicglobe.org</ref> and continued year round for 42 years.
Father Dobberstein used the knowledge and skills gained during construction of his first grotto honoring Our Lady of Lourdes while training at St. Francis Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin. His method was to set fancy rocks and gems into concrete. In 1946, Father Louis Greving began helping Dobberstein with the construction.<ref name="catholicglobe"/> The Grotto covered an area the size of a city block when Dobberstein died in 1954. Matt Szerensce helped contribute the work until his retirement in 1959.<ref name="iowabeautiful"/><ref>Detour Art Atlas | Artist Detail Template:Webarchive, detour.webdatabases.net</ref> The Grotto was maintained by Deacon Gerald Streit from 1994 until his retirement in the early 2000s.
Father Dobberstein's works inspired Mathias Wernerus (who also attended St. Francis Seminary) to build the Dickeyville Grotto in Dickeyville, Wisconsin, in 1930,<ref name="agilitynut"/><ref name="csumc"/><ref>History of Providence Home Health Care Center of Jasper, providencehome.org</ref> starting the grotto-building movement in America.<ref name="csumc"/><ref>Grotto of the Redemption Template:Webarchive, ww2.lafayette.edu/~niless</ref>
In August 1, 2015, the Grotto was raised to the status of a diocesan shrine by R. Walker Nickless, Bishop of Sioux City, becoming the diocese's first designated religious shrine.
In popular cultureEdit
The Grotto of the Redemption is featured in the David Lynch film The Straight Story.
GalleryEdit
- Grotto of the Redemption 001.jpg
Entrance sign
- Grotto Arcade.jpg
View of Lower Arcade: Small Stations of the Cross
- Grotto of the Redemption Station 13.jpg
Station 13
- The Grotto of the Redemption Pic1.jpg
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City Template:NRHP in Palo Alto County, Iowa