WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nation’s capital is getting a new place of prayer and renewal. The Saint John Paul II Retreat House will soon open its doors in Northeast Washington, D.C., next to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine.

A pastoral initiative of the Knights of Columbus, The Retreat House will be formally unveiled and blessed on August 26 from noon to 3 p.m., beginning with a Mass for the dedication event. Archbishop William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore and Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, will bless the house.

The Retreat House is inspired by the retreat ministry of Saint John Paul II, who as a young priest led group retreats into the Polish countryside. Located on four wooded acres in Northeast Washington, D.C., the Retreat House offers pilgrims a similar experience of prayer and quiet reflection.

The Retreat House offers groups and individuals a quiet place to step away from daily life. One of the nation’s most significant Catholic pilgrimage sites, the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, is located next door and includes a 16,000-square-foot exhibit, daily Mass and confessions, a first-class relic of the saint, and numerous other sacred relics. Guests can visit the shrine at their leisure. Also within walking distance are the National Basilica and other Catholic sites in the area of Washington, D.C., known affectionately as “Little Rome.”

“Pope John Paul II’s deep spiritual life was the engine which drove everything else he did,” said Stephen White, executive director of the Saint John Paul II Shrine. “Through prayer, he allowed God to make him a saint. The Retreat House is a way to invite guests to enter more deeply into the vocation we all share, answering God’s call to become saints.”

The Saint John Paul II Retreat House is a Catholic retreat center located in Northeast Washington, D.C., adjacent to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. Inspired by the retreat ministry of Fr. Karol Wojtyła, later Saint John Paul II, the house offers group retreats in a prayerful, quiet setting and immediate access to one of the nation’s premier Catholic pilgrimage sites.