Visitor Information Welcome to the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Loretto. We hope that you enjoy your visit! Hours
The Basilica is open daily:
Sunday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Monday – Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Tours Basilica of St. Michael Self-Guided Tour
At this time we offer self-guided tours. You may find information about our history on this website under our HISTORY
PAGE and freely explore our beautiful grounds and Basilica.
Our Lady of the Alleghenies Shrine
Located between the Basilica of St Michael the Archangel and the Prince Gallitzin Chapel House, Loretto, PA sits Our Lady of The Alleghenies Shrine. This shrine symbolizes the heroic missionary devotion that Father Gallitzin extended to Our Blessed Mother and his Catholic colony here in the Loretto wilderness.
She stands with hands outstretched as if in benediction, her face bent compassionately to the child at her feet, a little mountain girl representing not only the people of this region but of the whole world.
The shrine was solemnly blessed on the feast of the Birth of Mary, September 8, 1951, which also marked the Golden Jubilee of the creation of the Altoona Diocese in 1901. Set on a one-half acre plot donated to the diocese by the Sisters of Mercy, Our Lady of the Alleghenies was named the official Marian Shrine of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.
From Memorial to Labor Day on Sunday evening at 7:00PM the faithful gather for a beautiful outdoor Mass. All are welcome to join us ~ please remember to bring a chair.
Father Demetrius Gallitzin Tomb and Chapel House
In front of the Basilica of St. Michael, a bronze statue of Father Gallitzin sits atop a granite base. Underneath a crypt with Father Gallitzin's remains are enclosed in a casket. Feel free to stop by but please be careful of the low ceiling when you walk down the steps.
The historic Prince Gallitzin Chapel House, next to the Our Lady of the Alleghenies Shrine, will be closed for several months, beginning in August 2023, for structural restoration.
The historic Prince Gallitzin Chapel House, next to the Our Lady of the Alleghenies Shrine, will be closed for several months for structural restoration.