Faith
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The Grotto, formally the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, is a 62-acre Roman Catholic sanctuary in Portland, Oregon, built around a 110-foot basalt cliff that gives it a striking vertical design. Established in 1924 through the efforts of Servite friar Ambrose Mayer, it began as an outdoor altar and pilgrimage site after he purchased land once slated for development. Workers carved a cave into the cliff for a statue of Mary holding Jesus, and the site grew to include trails, shrines, chapels, gardens, and broad viewpoints. Still active today, it is a major religious and cultural landmark known especially for its Festival of Lights.
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Portland, Oregon · United States
