By Gretchen Keiser

The enduring spirit of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was celebrated anew Aug. 26 as dignitaries and parishioners mingled at the dedication of an historical marker for this site.

Scheduled to be dedicated two years ago, the plaque’s formal blessing was abruptly overshadowed in 1982 by the near destruction of the Shrine, the first Catholic Church in Atlanta and the oldest complete building standing in the downtown area. The fire of August 1982 led to the reconstruction and rededication of the Shrine this year.

With that accomplished, it was, at last, time for the historic recognition of the Shrine’s place in Georgia history. The marker tells the story of the church and of its famous pastor, Father Thomas O’Reilly, who rescued the church, four others and the City Hall-Court House from destruction by Union armies in 1864.

Taking part in the dedication of the marker were Mayor Andrew Young, Dr. Ed Weldon and Anthony Dees, director and assistant director of the Georgia Department of Archives and History, and Archbishop Thomas Donnellan. At a reception following the dedication Mass and ceremony, Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett regaled parishioners with history and memories of the Shrine and its neighbors.

The site was purchased in 1848 for $300, he noted, and the historic nature of the Shrine is complimented by its neighbor across Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the former Georgia Railroad Freight House which is older than the 111-year-old Shrine, but not intact as originally built.

A different insight was offered by Justice Charles Weltner of the Georgia Supreme Court, a parishioner at the neighboring Central Presbyterian Church.

Justice Weltner fondly recalled from his boyhood days “the lesson of the Saturday afternoon movies” – two strong men standing back to back fighting off all attacks from the doers of evil.

That combination of forces is what the justice sees as the Shrine and Central, geographically located back to back, struggle against the prevailing tides around them. “I’m here to thank you for staying,” he said.