St. Martin of Tours Church - Louisville, Kentucky

(Photo provided)

Destination: If you plan to attend next year’s Kentucky Derby, add a visit to St. Martin of Tours Church to your itinerary. By then, the relics of St. Magnus, a Roman centurion, and St. Bonosa, a young Roman virgin, should be back in their resting places in the church.
Masses are at 8 and 10 a.m. on Sunday and at noon daily. The Sunday noon Mass is in Latin.
Why to go: Since 1902, the bones of the martyrs have rested at the parish. There the bones of the pair, who are believed to have been martyred in the third or fourth century in Rome, are being examined by Philip DiBlasi, an archaeologist who teaches skeletal forensics at the University of Louisville, and four of his students students. Early evidence confirms traditional lore.DiBlasi, who is a member of St. Bartholomew Church, says, “To be a Catholic and to do this is way cool.”
The original church was built on the grounds of a small brickyard in 1853. Today’s church is home to members of 1,000 households in the Louisville area.
Access: Be prepared for some stairs.
(Grand) Kid friendly: This urban church has lots of other art, statues and stained glass windows kids might enjoy seeing. Take a camera or art supplies for them to record their visit.
Info: Address: St. Martin of Tours Church, 639 South Shelby St., Louisville, KY 40202. Phone: 502/582-2827. Web: www.stmartinoftourschurch.org

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org