High Country Life

At High Country Historic Churches and Chapels, religious experiences span from small chapels nestled amid Sedona’s red rocks to an ornate Romanesque Revival seminary that still stands in Carthagena along Wuebler Pike. Come explore these houses of worship this Easter and take part in longstanding traditions!

Paul Revere used the Old North Church’s steeple as a beacon during his midnight ride of 1775; today it serves as home for a research fellow studying race, gender and religion history in 18th century New England.

Chapel on the Rock

Although in need of some TLC, the beauty of this church still shines through peeling paint and crumbling walls. Ornate Gothic detail, fiery-hued stained glass windows, marble floors and ornate Gothic details all add up to make this structure built by slaves in 1839 in Charleston’s historic Laurel Hill plantation complex an irresistibly magical sight. Built as the only free-standing church left standing today in Charleston – designed by master cabinetmaker William Axson Jr. and brickmaker Zachariah Villepontoux both with their initials carved into its structure; experts conducted paint analyses on woodwork to ensure they were truer to original 18th-century hues.

This chapel is an unforgettable sight from all perspectives. Winter brings especially captivating snow-laden landscape, making for an incredible view from a distance and close. Spring and summer bring gorgeous green willow trees near the chapel while fall brings stunning hues of red and gold along the canyon walls.

Visits to the Chapel on the Rock are an ideal opportunity for reflection and relaxation, while its popular wedding venues make this site even more worthwhile. However, visitors should call ahead before visiting to ensure it is open before planning their visit.

Attraction of note in the High Country. A picturesque stone chapel stands as an iconic attraction. As part of a larger retreat and conference center, this building was dedicated to Saint Catherine of Siena in 1935 when Monsignor Joseph Bosetti happened upon its location while looking for fallen stars. He fought tirelessly over two decades to save the chapel, including an extended battle against Colorado Highway Department’s plans to dynamite its rock and use it for road base. After suffering through fire and flood damage in 2013, Chapel on the Rock has been saved and remains an iconic spiritual site on Peak to Peak Scenic Byway. Pope John Paul II visited here in 1993! Now open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM as an easy drive from Estes Park.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

The Chapel of the Holy Cross stands out as one of the most striking sights in Sedona. This beautiful Roman Catholic chapel seems to rise out of the red rocks, making it a must-see attraction when visiting Arizona’s premier destination. Commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude after she was inspired by Empire State Building construction to design it herself, Marguerite eventually settled on Sedona where Richard Hein was hired to design her dream chapel; eventually completed in 1956 and still an unforgettable sight today!

The chapel features an exquisite wall of stained glass that encases its facade, accented by an eye-catching 90-foot tall cross at its core. Furthermore, there are beautiful sacred side shrines commemorating Jesuit martyrs that display vivid artwork depicting their deaths.

Visitors to the Chapel can experience peace within its walls while exploring its amazing works of art, many commissioned specifically for it by Jacqueline Jackson herself – such as four silk hangings designed by Jacqueline, the Stations of the Cross carved from tin, and an original painted wooden Crucifix – sure to amaze.

As this church is open to everyone, visitors should keep certain points in mind when visiting Chapel of the Holy Cross. These include keeping a quiet environment inside as well as respecting its religious significance by not taking photographs inside.

If you’re curious to explore High Country’s historical churches and chapels, don’t miss the Word of Life Tabernacle on Deep River Road this Easter. Built by an enthusiastic husband-wife team who are committed to their hometown of High Point, this church features traditional church architecture with plenty of room for worshippers as well as community events.

St. Mary’s

Laurel Hill’s church stands out among its historic structures as being especially eye-catching with ornate woodwork, colorful stained glass windows, and marble flooring that set off this remarkable space.

A group of settlers from Wharton, New York constructed this church in 1872-3 after being inspired by its predecessor at Cane Ridge Presbyterian Meeting House during America’s Second Great Awakening religious movement during the early 19th century.

In the late 1960s, a much lower addition was built at the rear of the sanctuary and this alteration drastically altered both design and character of the church. Parishioners who had saved portions of old altar and altar rail were able to incorporate them into new construction to restore historic charm of their congregation’s exterior appearance.

Little Falls Brownstone Trims support the church gable roof which features pre-opalescent stained glass window. Thanks to a grant from The Trust, restoration works including conservation of brownstone cladding and finish carpentry work; replacing missing iron roof cresting; repairing damaged timber trusses; securing broken stones within building were completed successfully.

Inside the church, its high walls have been covered in dark walnut to soften their harsh profile and restore their original beauty. Furthermore, the wooden altarpiece, balcony doors and window grilles have also been restored to their former glory.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Lake City, Colorado established St. Rose of Lima Baptist Church as a mission in 1880, meeting initially at Colonel Cornelius Davy’s home as a place to meet while raising funds for permanent structure construction. By 1880 it had grown significantly and by 1880 had become an essential community gathering spot, with Open Door Ministries and West End Ministries both being involved as well as supporting a food bank locally. Due to its stunning interior and exterior architecture it also makes a perfect venue for weddings or special events while its stunning architecture cemented its place among many loved places of worship across Colorado.

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Texas is an impressive Catholic structure boasting intricate carvings, masterful paintings, and sparkling stained glass windows adorned with ornate carvings, magnificent paintings, and shimmering stained glass windows. This landmark church is one of Texas’s most beloved structures – known by locals as “Queen of the Painted Churches.” Located within red-brick Gothic Revival architecture with periwinkle blue interior accented with gold leaf and turkey feathers for decoration; statues abound – pipe organ, Stations of Cross imported from Italy as well as reproduction of Michaelangelo’s Pieta! Also included within are paintings featuring faux marble faux marble effects along with intricately detailed stained-glass windows for decoration.

The church takes its name from Immaculate Conception, a doctrine of Catholic faith which holds that Mary was free of sin at birth. Christians often pray to imitate her qualities by paying homage to Immaculate Heart of Mary through devotions such as Heart Devotion or praying to the Blessed Virgin directly.

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary has long been practiced by numerous saints throughout history. St. John Eudes, a French priest and founder of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, popularized its practice during the 17th century through an initiative initiated in local communities that celebrated Mary’s love both for God and humanity through a local feast honoring Her Immaculate Heart; other saints including Saint Louis de Montfort and Alphonsus Liguori also wrote extensively on this topic.

Though Mary’s Immaculate Conception is not new, its teaching on its Immaculate Heart made its devotion more widespread. Through it all, God revealed His infinite love to humanity; thus allowing Mary to accept his calling to become Jesus’ mother.

As such, Mary’s Immaculate Heart provides us with an exemplary model to follow in our own lives. Through prayer, study, and imitating her virtues we can learn to love God more deeply as she did.