http://eastboston.povo.com/Don_Orione_Madonna_Shrine Don Orione Madonna Shrine The Povo Community This article is a non-geographic page in East Boston, MA http://static.povo.com/img/logos/povo32.png http://static.povo.com/img/logos/povo_text.png Portions Creative Commons Licensed via cc-by-sa-3.0. Terms of use: http://world.povo.com/Povo:Terms%20of%20Use. Geographic location data is NOT Creative Commons, but copyright TeleAtlas. 2009-03-31T21:11:19.6900000-04:00 Don Orione Madonna Shrine 2009-03-31T21:11:19.6900000-04:00 http://eastboston.povo.com/Don_Orione_Madonna_Shrine
One of the most recognizable icons of East Boston is the 35-foot-high statue of the Madonna. The Madonna Shrine, atop Orient Heights, is the national headquarters for the Don Orione order. Constructed in 1954, the statue is a full-size replica of one at the Don Orione Center in the Montemario district of Rome, Italy. It was constructed in 1954 by Jewish-Italian sculptor Arrigo Minerbi, who wanted to show his gratitude to the Catholic Church for having shielded him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. Across the street from the Shrine is the Don Orione Home, a nursing home which, like the Shrine, was founded by the Don Orione priests.