Hidden deep within the Basilica Shrine (yet accessible from the building’s Lower Level) the Crypt Chapel, also known as the Basilica Shrine’s Mortuary Chapel, is the final resting place of 71 Vincentian priests, brothers, and seminarians who entered into eternal life from 1900 through 1963.
If you sit quietly in the chapel, you may feel the gentle presence of the confreres of the Vincentians of the Eastern Province whose earthly journeys have ended.
The History of Vincentian Resting Places
Originally, there were several locations where deceased Vincentians were interred, including present-day Niagara University in New York and the vault under the entrance of St. Vincent de Paul Church on Price Street in Philadelphia. In 1900, the Vincentians of the Eastern Province moved the burial grounds to the seminary property in Germantown.
By 1938, almost all the plots in the crypt were occupied. Fr. William F. Groeninger, CM, who died on February 27, 1943, was laid to rest in the crypt on May 3.
However, 20 years later, the final burial space within the Crypt Chapel became the final resting place of Fr. Joseph A. Skelly, CM, founder of the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal. Fr. Skelly’s burial space was the only one within the Crypt Chapel purposely placed and held.
Heroic Men of God
During the influenza pandemic of that year, the Vincentians responded heroically to the sick and dying. As a result, nine succumbed to the disease in the fall 1918. This is the largest number of Vincentians placed in the crypt during a one-year span.
Visit the Crypt Chapel for Reflection and Adoration
Open to the public on Mondays only from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., the Crypt Chapel is more than an entombment of Vincentians; it is a place of reflection and adoration.
Kevin Flynn, who has been a frequent Basilica Shrine visitor since his early childhood, has found the crypt chapel to be a tranquil spot for reflection. “I enjoy visiting the crypt because it is a quiet place to pray,” says Flynn, “and with Fr. Skelly and his confreres buried there, I imagine I am surrounded by saints.”
The Crypt Chapel is only open on Mondays, and it is where Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place. The chapel is located on the Lower Level of the Basilica Shrine. If you need help finding the chapel when you visit, please ask a Basilica Shrine staff member for guidance.