Welcome!   Please come to enjoy the beautiful sights of  Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica
    in person.   And return often.       
 (Additional photos may be found on our OLS History Page.)
Photo Album
Our Lady of Sorrows Photo Gallery


Ave   Maria
The 80 ft. high barrel-vaulted ceiling leaps 65 ft. across the nave, coffered in the manner of Renaissance
     architect Donato Bramante.
The main, North Facade exhibits Classical style
influenced by Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893.
The 200 ft. East Tower, survivor of former twins, rises
halfway in solid masonry, with upper stages of timber,
sheet metal, and tile.
The Canopeum, or umbrella, is a signature symbol
of any Basilica so honored by the Pope.  In theory, it
would shelter the pontiff on his visits to our shrine.
The Basilica's massive East Tower, landmark of
Chicago's West Side for over a century, and visible
from the Eisenhower Expressway.
Carved marble statue of St. Anthony, great preacher
and patron saint for locating lost articles.  Usually
identified with Padua, Italy, his resting place, he was
actually a native of Lisbon, Portugal.
The Basilica Bell, another symbol of the Papal
honor, ready to herald his arrival, whenever the Pope
drops in for a visit.  He's always welcome, of course.
The Servite Monastery, built on the site of the original
1874 Church of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The Monastery cloister garden and shrine of St. Philip
Benizi, early patriarch of the Servants of Mary.
The Central Altar, of Carrara marble, features urns of alabaster and carvings of the Last Supper and other motifs       
     related to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.   Murals by Henry Balink and others complete the scene.
Full-sized Replica of Michaelangelo's Pieta,
was originally installed in a temporary shrine
in the lower church.  The window depicts the
Baptism of Jesus by St. John, recalling this
chapel's original function as a baptistry.
Massive brick apse, roofed in tile, recalls
the brick cathedrals of Northern Europe.