St. Ann provides Tenleytown with an option for worship and prayer in a quiet, beautiful church. For those who cannot make it at the times scheduled in the Kay Spiritual Life Center, the church conveniently offers Masses twice every weekday and four times on Sundays, as well as other Masses on holy days. Daily Mass is at 7:15am and noon Monday through Friday, and on Sundays at 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, and noon.
Another devotion that makes St. Ann stand out is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. This is held from 8am to 8pm on Wednesdays. During this time, people from the neighborhood gather in the church to pray in silence. There is no set format, rather the individual chooses how long to pray and for what intentions.
Enriching the cultural heritage of the Tenleytown area, the church is home to some beautiful artwork, including depictions of saints and the life of Christ in stained glass, mosaics, and statue. Around the walls are large, colorful stained glass windows representing saints who lived in the times of the early church and Middle Ages such as St. Augustine, St. Cecillia, St. Ambrose, and St. Catherine of Siena. On the back wall above the door is a windows with biblical characters such as Moses, Ruth, Isaiah, and John the Baptist.
Around the walls of the church and below the stained glass windows are numerous statues with gold mosaic backgrounds showing the story of the Passion of Jesus. Towards the front of the church on either side of the altar are smaller devotional areas where visitors light small candles. On the left is a statue of Mary, and on the right is a statue of St. Joseph with a stained glass window showing Joseph and Jesus working together as carpenters.
On the left side of the church is the baptismal font which stands next to a mosaic showing Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River. Behind this is a mural painted in 1924 showing St. Ann and Mary as a girl. The church is named after St. Ann, the mother of the Virgin Mary. All these treasured pieces of artwork together with the silence in the midst of a busy city offer a tranquil refuge to all.
The church’s construction includes much use of stone, providing a cool relief to visitors in the summer.
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