Sheshan Basilica
| National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan | |
|---|---|
| 佘山進教之佑聖母大殿 | |
View of Sheshan Basilica
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Shanghai, China |
| Geographic coordinates | 31°05′47″N 121°11′16″E / 31.0963234°N 121.1878821°ECoordinates: 31°05′47″N 121°11′16″E / 31.0963234°N 121.1878821°E |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Diocese of Shanghai |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Minor basilica |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | 1863 |
The Sheshan Basilica, officially the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan (Chinese: 佘山進教之佑聖母大殿; pinyin: Shéshān jìnjiào zhī yòu shèngmǔ dàdiàn) and also known as Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians is a prominent Roman Catholic church in Shanghai, China. Its common name comes from its location on the western peak of Sheshan Hill, located in Songjiang District, to the west of Shanghai's metropolitan area.
It was previously romanized as Zosé Basilica (pronounced "Zoh-seh"), using the Shanghainese pronunciation of 佘山 (Sheshan). Inside the shrine, the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Mary Help of Christians is venerated as the patroness of the basilica, along with the recently reconstructed icon of Our Mother of Sheshan, both venerated by Chinese Catholics.
The first church on Sheshan hill was built in 1863. During the Taiping Rebellion, Jesuit missionaries bought a plot of land on the southern slopes of the hill. A derelict Buddhist monastery had stood on the site. The remaining buildings were demolished, and a small building was constructed as living quarters for missionaries, and a small chapel. At the peak of the hill (where the Maitreya hall had stood), a small pavilion was built in which was placed a statue of the Madonna.
In June 1870, unrest in Tianjin led to the burning of churches there. The Shanghai Jesuits prayed at the statue of the Madonna and pledged to build a church to her honour in return for her protection. Subsequently, construction of the church began. Wood was shipped in from Shanghai, and stone bought from Fujian. All material had to be ported to the peak by hand. The church was completed two years later. This first church was in the form of a cross, and incorporated features of both Chinese and Western architecture. A veranda was placed outside the door, with ten columns. Eight stone lions were placed before the church. In 1894, several ancillary buildings were added. These included a chapel halfway down the hill, a shrine to the Sacred Heart, the Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph. Fourteen Stations of the Cross were constructed along the path to the church.
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