As you approach Aldie on Route 50, a church spire gradually rises above the newly built housing complexes and data centers. It’s Corpus Christi Church, a Holy Year 2025 Pilgrimage site and a parish reminiscent of a European cathedral, plunked in the middle of Loudoun County suburbia.
The parish waited 21 years for a church building to worship in, according to Father Michael G. Taylor, pastor. So, when the Gothic-inspired, cruciform church was dedicated in 2021, the parishioners were overjoyed.
The exterior of the church is grandiose. The facade of the church boasts an engraved crucifix, and an arched entryway reveals a set of massive wooden doors. Father Taylor said the pillar supporting the arched entryway contains a medal of St. Joseph, placed during construction.
The nave’s vaulted ceiling, with hints of blue, naturally draws the eye down the long aisle to the sanctuary’s rood, or central crucifix. Suspended from the ceiling, the rood features Mary and St. John flanking the crucifix. Father Taylor said the sanctuary’s golden communion rail was sourced from a church in Hartford, Conn., while the nearly 5-foot tabernacle originates from a church in Germany.
“I like to think it was Pope Benedict’s church,” Father Taylor joked.
Statues in front of the sanctuary include St. Padre Pio, St. Faustina, St. Joseph and Mary, as well as a parishioner-painted image of Christ’s Divine Mercy. A large statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus graces the red, black and cream marble altarpiece, with the same pattern as the altar, which contains a first-class relic of St. Peter the Apostle.
Pilgrims who visit Corpus Christi may also see the parish’s unofficial mascot roaming the grounds: Father Taylor’s affectionate black labrador, DJ. Father Taylor quips that during the construction phase of the church, “He was more of the chief fundraiser.”
Kids looking to blow off steam after a quiet visit to the church will enjoy the playground and splash pad at Hal and Berni Hanson Regional Park, recommended by Father Taylor and some parishioners. The park includes walking trails as well as the Historic Hanson House, constructed in 1870 and owned by Haldore “Hal” Hanson, who was an Associated Press war correspondent and later a U.S. State Department official. After Hanson was falsely accused of being a communist and forced to resign in 1953, he took up farming in Loudoun County and upon his death gave all 257 acres to the county for the sole purpose of creating a park.
Pilgrims looking for a southern taste of summer will enjoy veteran-founded Hammerdown Barbecue, another favorite of Corpus Christi parishioners. Open Wednesday-Sunday, the smokehouse produces exceptionally tender brisket and pulled pork, among other meats and classic barbecue sides, with classic-yet-quirky sauces such as the “Spicy Squirrel.”
Corpus Christi resides within the Middleburg AVA, known for its abundance of Virginia wineries. One parishioner-recommended stop is Quattro Goombas Winery, which also hosts a brewery. While parents sip on Petit Verdot and Hefeweizen, kids may take advantage of the expansive green space in the back.
Amateur historians will also enjoy a visit to the Aldie Mill Historic Park, an old grist mill with a water wheel, before wandering across the street to enjoy antique stores in historic Aldie.
The parish boundaries offer something for every pilgrim in the family. “We’re sort of a small parish, but we capture a lot of the beautiful things in Loudoun County,” Father Taylor said. DJ wagged his tail, almost as if in agreement.
