A vision 10 years in the making became a reality at St. Ambrose Church in Annandale June 4 when Bishop Michael F. Burbidge blessed a Marian statue that is the centerpiece of a new prayer garden.
Centrally located between the newly constructed St. Ambrose Church, dedicated in 2023, and the parish school, the garden provides a quiet place for the faithful to contemplate and pray.
Mary is seen in the statue holding the baby Jesus with cherubs on her left and right and at her feet carved in bas relief. The garden is ringed with benches and when finished will include a ground-inset custom designed rosary and Mary medallion.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, prior to dedicating the garden, described to the parishioners, project supporters and school students in attendance the role it could play in the life of the parish.
“Hopefully every day to follow people will visit this sacred garden, this sacred place to do what we are doing today, honoring our Mother Mary and rejoicing in the promise of her Son,” he said. “This garden will give people a place to seek Mary’s prayers as they carry their own crosses and burdens and to find the grace to say yes to her son’s holy will.”
“This Marian prayer garden satisfies a special need at St. Ambrose, a place dedicated to honoring our Mother Mary where the children from St. Ambrose dual language school and parishioners alike may find comfort and peace in the protection of Mary,” said Father Andrew J. Fisher, pastor.
“This has been a long time coming. I have a special devotion to Our Lady of Fatima,” said Anthony “Tony” Braddock, who underwrote the cost of the project as a gift to the parish. “It is always my intention to do whatever I can for our Blessed Mother forever.”
Braddock has sponsored Marian shrines in Kentucky, New Mexico and West Virginia.
“The statue and pedestal are made from white Carrara marble, from the same mine used by Michelangelo,” said Lou DiCocco, owner and lead designer of St. Jude Liturgical Arts Studio in Haverford, Pa. At the dedication, he was accompanied by his wife, Victoria, and their daughter, Leia Tenuta, both of whom participate in the design, fabrication, and installation of religious art. The DiCocco family see their work in religious art as a calling.
“This is such a great statement of a pro-life shrine that people can see and the importance of us being close to Our Lady and her watching over us,” DiCocco said.
“This garden is a beautiful addition to our new church and school campus,” said Michael “Chief” Coss, a longtime parishioner. “It will provide us an outdoor place for reflection and prayer by parishioners and students alike. We are all very grateful to the extremely generous donation of Mr. Braddock, that provided us this beautiful statue and garden to meet our Blessed Mother and pray.”
Tim Machado, owner of Design Concepts Architecture and Interiors in Winchester, and a longtime parishioner of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Winchester, was the architect. The construction was done by Whitener & Jackson Inc. of Manassas who also built St. Ambrose’s new traditional-style Catholic Church.
Key is a freelancer in Alexandria.
