Panna Maria, which is Polish for "Virgin Mary," is a small town located about 60 miles southeast of San Antonio, Texas. It has the distinction of being the oldest permanent Polish settlement in the United States. It is worth taking a few minutes detour when travelling on Highway 123 to stop and visit the Catholic church located on the main street.
The Immaculate Conception church was built in 1877. It's tower, shooting 100 feet into the air, is visible for miles. The main reason to stop and visit, though, is because the interior of the church has been lavishly decorated with beautiful stained glass, lovely statues, and incredible painted designs.
I hope you will enjoy looking at a few of the photos I took of this hidden jewel of a church.
Just stumbled across your blog while doing some research on towns in Hill Country. I live in East Texas (born here but moved to Arizona for 40 years and returned recently to care for elderly parent) and I'm planning a trip to this area in the spring. Can't wait to see this beautiful church and to check out other photos on your blog.
ReplyDeleteI've visited Panna Maria, but have never been inside the church. Thanks for "opening the doors" to this beautiful old building.
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