Visit to nation's capital can be a spiritual experience

If you are looking for a vacation to lift your spirits, a visit to some of the world's most inspiring and revered spiritual sites in the country could be just what you need.

And, perhaps surprisingly, that can be accomplished by visiting Washington, D.C.

The nation's newest religious attraction, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., is a modern museum that offers an environment for people of all ages and denominations to explore spirituality through state-of-the-art technology. In the center's hands-on interactive galleries, visitors learn about religions throughout the world and enjoy stories of creation from various ancient cultures. The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center also offers a traditional museum experience through its extraordinary exhibits from the world-class Vatican Museums and other art exhibits.

The architecturally stunning cultural center features a room about Pope John Paul II with gifts from dignitaries around the world, photos and memorabilia from his life, and even a pair of the Pope's skis. In addition, the one-of-a kind museum has a children's gallery, cafŽ, museum store, bookstore, theaters and chapel.

A second attraction, located adjacent to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Catholic church in the Americas and one of the largest in the world.

The shrine is a spiritual home to hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who journey there every year from around the globe. It has 65 chapels that reflect the varied ethnic religious heritage of America.

The wonderful gardens and catacombs of the nearby Franciscan Monastery can make a spiritual adventure even more fascinating. Located on a wooded tract, the monastery houses replicas of holy shrines from Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Syria and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

The unique spiritual journey can be an adventure of a lifetime. For more information, interested people can visit the Web site www.jp2cc.org.

This article is courtesy of North American Precis Syndicate.