Nombre de Dios

Mission of Nombre de Dios and Our Lady of La Leche Shrine

Next door to the Fountain of Youth, Our Lady of La Leche Shrine marks the original permanent settlement of St. Augustine founded by Pedro Menendez and the celebration of the nation's first Mass on site.

Some consider the Mission Nombre de Dios to be one of America's most sacred and historic sites. It was there, over 400 years ago, that Father Lopez de Mendoza Grajales offered the first Mass in America's first colonial city. It was the beginning of the permanent history of Christianity in what is now the United States. This mission site, which remains in religious use today and contains an early cemetery, is also located close to the landing site of the Pedro Menendez de Aviles expedition and the first Spanish village in Florida. Because it was established soon after St. Augustine in 1565, this Mission settlement constituted a highly significant part of Spain's colonial presence in Florida. Surrounded by the beauty of nature and housed amid the trees and walkways, shrines and statues give testimony to the religious faith of the settlers. The historic importance and religious significance of the mission are inseparable.

The Great Cross that marks the mission's location was erected in 1965 to commemorate the St. Augustine Quadricentennial and, in turn, the mission's 400th anniversary. It is, perhaps, the most noticeable monument on the grounds. The cross is a 208-foot towering beacon of stainless steel that can be seen for miles out to sea at night.

Dedicated to Our Lady of La Leche, the chapel is the historic cornerstone of the mission. It houses an exquisitely carved statue of Mary nursing the infant Jesus. The devotion to Our Lady of La Leche was established by the Spanish settlers in St. Augustine around 1615. Today, tourists come from all over the US to the Chapel of Our Lady to pray for mothers and mothers-to-be. Excavations are ongoing. The University of Florida has been conducting archaeological digs since 1993 in an effort to illuminate the secrets of the past.

Explore the Mission of Nombre de Dios and take the journey that retraces the steps of America's first founding fathers.

Free admission.
Phone: 904-824-2809
Web: www.missionandshrine.org