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______WASHINGTON DC_____

96 images
___Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception___
The Pope to celebrate the Mass in the Crypt Church, the Catacomb or the underground church of the basilica.
Images were taken one day ahead of the Pope's arrival, and some from the previous trip.
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____National Mall___
Please see this Gallery under Washington DC

___Museum of Natural History___
19 images
Exhibited the biggest Crystals, Carats, precious Stones in the world, besides extincted Dinosaurs



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Day 04, Wednesday April 17th

We left the Shrine of Lourdes at Emmitsburg, MD, and spent the remaining afternoon at the National Mall of DC. We stopped by the Jefferson Memorial on one side of the Mall, and visited the Korean, Lincoln Memorials on the other side. Images of the Memorials were kept separately in the Washington DC gallery, visited in 2004 with new additional images. The rest of the afternoon we went to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where the Pope would hold a Mass on the next day. The Basilica looked anew from outside. The grass were freshly cut in checkered pattern, flowers of many colors were planted outside. TV mobiles were lined up outside, with cables reaching the interiors. Inside the basilica was contrast with stillness, and holy as usual. Except at the altar the spotlights were on the area showing its splendor and glory, yet stillness anticipating the big event welcoming the Pope. The Crypt Church underground would be where the Mass would be held with much less capacity of less than 500. The Crypt church today was much well prepared, much of her glory was at the altar, spotlights were on it with no less splendor. All the last details were laid out with working staff around the floor. Closed circuit TV stands were set by the entry door. The historical time came the following day, the Pope would be here.

The following 4th day into the trip, we waited for Morgan Cook, the OC Register journalist, at our hotel to ride with us for her 2nd day journey with us. Without entry tickets for the group to attend the Pope’s mass in DC, we headed for the Capital Hill. We spent little time in front of the Capital steps, without ticket to get inside the Capital the stop would be a place of remembrance. Among other places within the Mall, we headed for the Natural History our leader smilingly invited people to see the best collection of precious stones in the world, indeed! We said farewell to Morgan, her article covered our trip was on the press in Orange County the next day.

We headed back to Fallbrook of DC for the late lunch, then our bus departed to New York, another 4 hours away.

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