I don’t know about you guys but the thought of walking a labyrinth would not quiet my mind, it’d drive me crazy looking for a way out. Or am I taking this too literally…?


Thanks to a reader for sending:

“I saw this gate/doorway/opening at the Basilica today. I think it is the entrance to the confessional area but I’m not Catholic, so I’m not certain.”

Anyone know if this door goes to a confessional area or something else?


DCist reported yesterday saying:

“The church membership voted last Wednesday to move forward with plans to sell its properties at 1600 8th Street NW and 1543 8th Street NW, with the hope that the sales will generate enough capital to begin long-discussed plans to renovate a string of units in the 1500 block of 9th Street NW. Plans for the Shiloh-owned 9th Street properties include a senior citizen center and/or housing, and a youth learning center.”

The Washington Post followed up today saying:

“Last week’s decision by members of Shiloh Baptist Church, at Ninth and P streets NW, could remove a stumbling block to the rebirth of the blighted neighborhood around the Washington Convention Center. Neighbors have complained for years that seven crumbling buildings that the church owns along Eighth and Ninth streets were attracting drug users and adding to a sense of decay in the area.”

These properties have long been a blight on the Shaw neighborhood. While I admire the church’s desire to build affordable housing, the fact that they weren’t actually doing it, means that this was the right move for them and for the revival of that block. What do you think – does this signify that the last stumbling block to the revival of this section of Shaw has been removed?


I posted this Russian Orthodox Church almost exactly a year ago. The old camera was starting to go on the fritz then so here’s a better picture. I also wanted to put this up because someone mentioned it in one of the Crestwood posts. It is located at 4001 17th Street, NW.  Aside from the Church itself looking really cool, it is wild how it just pops up after many streets of single family homes.


“Dear PoP,

I see online that it is, or was, Brookland week. I would encourage you to stop by the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, just north of the Basillica off of Harewood Rd. I drove up Harewood Avenue after mass at the Basillica a few weeks ago and was like, “What the heck is that?” Personally, I think the building and front lawn are gorgeous!”

Yup, was pretty taken with this building. And the lawn was amazing. I was telling my buddy who was showing me around that this would be a great spot for a frisbee game. I have truly enjoyed “Brookland week”! Also right next door to the Cultural Center is another cool church – Ukranian Catholic Shrine.

But I’m most curious what you think about the Cultural Center located at 3900 Harewood Road, NE?


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