Shrine of St. Therese, Juneau, Catholic shrine on Lynn Canal, Juneau, United States

The National Shrine of St. Thérèse stands on 46 acres overlooking the Lynn Canal in Juneau, Alaska, not on an island. The site holds a stone chapel built from thousands of stones gathered by volunteers, a crypt, a columbarium, a labyrinth, a lodge, a cabin and a retreat house.

In 1925 St. Thérèse of Lisieux was named patroness of Alaska, and in the 1930s the Jesuit Father William LeVasseur proposed a retreat centre in her name. Bishop Joseph Raphael John Crimont backed the project and bought the federal land; the site was reserved in 1932 and work on the stone chapel began in 1937, with the cornerstone laid on 30 October 1938. The first Mass was celebrated on 28 October 1941, and Bishop Crimont, who died in 1945, is buried in the shrine's crypt.

The chapel holds stones gathered by community volunteers, showing how local people joined together to build this place of faith. These materials represent the connection between residents and their spiritual landmark.

The shrine sits on 46 acres overlooking the Lynn Canal, reached by road from Juneau rather than by causeway or boat. The grounds hold a stone chapel, crypt, columbarium, labyrinth, lodge and cabin, with the retreat house available for group stays. Weather on the canal changes quickly, so check conditions before setting out.

The Merciful Love Labyrinth was built in 2001, one of several additions made under director Thomas Fitterer after the shrine reopened in March 1986. The same period brought the Rosary Walk (1999), the Jubilee Hut (2000) and the Little Flower Hut (2001).