The status means the nationally-acclaimed church will be referred to as The Basilica of Holy Hill, National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians. It will be one of the 56 churches so honored in the United States and the second in Wisconsin. The Basilica of Saint Josaphat, a Minor Basilica, was named by Pope Pius XI in 1929.

“This is a blessing and Holy Hill is a national treasure of the Church, richly deserving of this status,” Archbishop Dolan said. “Under the attentive care of the Discalced Carmelites, Holy Hill and the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, remains a wonderful confluence of natural beauty, peaceful prayer, great spiritual nourishment, evangelical mission and the focal point of a vibrant local, regional and national church.”

The process, initiated by the Discalced Carmelite Friars and supported by Archbishop Dolan last April, required dossier materials documenting Holy Hill as a place of pilgrimage and special devotion, and a center of historic significance, characterized by architecture and artistry.

Annually more than 250,000 people visit Holy Hill. Ethnic groups from around the world make yearly pilgrimages to the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians with many that can be traced to Holy Hill's early history.

The history of Holy Hill is believed to extend back to the evangelization of this region by the French explorer Jesuit Father Jacques Marquette, who is said to have surveyed the expansive beauty of the region from atop the hill. Since that time the hill has became a special place of prayer and faith.

The early settlers to the Holy Hill area came in 1842 from the counties of Kerry, Cork and Waterford in Ireland. In approximately 1863 a French layman, Francois Soubrio, established for himself a small hermitage on the side of the hill. The locals, at first skeptical, eventually befriended him, having come to depend upon his wise and prayerful counsel. Local farmers are said to have joined with him to build a cabin for the hermit and at the same time they made plans to build the first log chapel, the first permanent structure on the hill. At the first Mass held there, Father George Strickner dedicated the simple new chapel as a Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians.

In the mid-1800s, German immigrants began to settle and farm in the area. In June of 1906 the Discalced Carmelite Friars arrived at Holy Hill from Bavaria at the invitation of Archbishop Sebastian Messmer. Best recognized by their brown hooded habits, the Friars are responsible for the ministry, as well as the stewardship and care of the church and Shrine.

Following the French, the Irish and the Germans whose communities continue to be drawn to Holy Hill, Hispanics now come to make Corpus Christi Processions and Vietnamese come to walk the Way of the Cross.

A registered Wisconsin and United States landmark, Holy Hill and its accompanying Shrine and Monastery, sit atop one of the highest points in the southeastern part of the state. Located 1,350 feet above sea level, visitors are offered a commanding view and ambiance that has gained international acclaim. Holy Hill remains a revered pilgrimage site for its religious significance, outstanding beauty and period architectural style.

For further information on the rich history of Holy Hill, visit www.holyhill.com or call Fr. Cyril Guise, Shrine director, at 262-628-1838.