Madonna Chapel

Madonna Chapel was listed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not as the smallest church in the world.

Details

Built by Italian farmer Anthony Gullo in 1902, his son had been very ill, and promised the Virgin Mary that he would build a chapel in her honor if his son got well. His son recovered, and he built the church. The original church was 7 feet by 7 feet, but a new levee in 1924 necessitated the removal of the chapel. The present chapel is a tad larger – a 9 feet by 9 feet structure.

Mass is celebrated from the chapel once a year, on August 15, the Catholic Feast of the Assumption. However, the chapel is open daily for those who wish to visit and enjoy its solitude. The key is kept in the mailbox.

Great River Road Driving Tour:
LA-405 (Great River Road) from Plaquemine through Bayou Goula to White Castle.

Thursday: 12:00 am – 11:59 pm

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