Paul Christiansen
Off the beaten path in Iberville Parish, an unassuming, white chapel stands watch over the Mississippi River. A white picket fence encircles the property, forming a barrier between the tiny church and the neighboring homes with their wandering cattle. The church is easily overlooked on a drive along River Road, overshadowed by larger attractions such as nearby Nottoway and the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site. Yet, for more than 120 years, its presence here has been a constant reminder of gratitude for an answered prayer.
The story dates back to the turn of the last century, when the eldest son of Italian sugar farmer Anthony Gullo fell ill. Gullo prayed to the Virgin Mary to help his son, and in exchange for her intercession, he promised to build a chapel in the Blessed Mother’s honor. When the child recovered, the farmer kept his promise and constructed the Madonna Chapel in 1903.
Built from Louisiana cypress donated by neighbors, the original structure measured only seven feet by seven feet and, according to local resident Betty Aucoin, was octagon-shaped. After a new Mississippi River levee was constructed in 1924, the chapel was moved and rebuilt to be slightly larger—at nine feet by nine feet. Now, the front and two sides are square, but the back still retains the original octagon profile. A sign notes that it was once listed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not as the “smallest church in the world”.
Paul Christiansen
Shortly after the Madonna Chapel was built, Mass on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, a Catholic holy day celebrating the entrance of Mary’s body and soul into heaven. With only a few exceptions, every August 15, the traditional Mass is held in the tiny chapel—honoring the woman whose intercession inspired its inception.
“Several hundred people come out here under the trees,” said Aucoin, who bakes cakes and Italian cookies for the annual Mass. “It’s hot out here, but they still come out. Every so many years, the original family comes down too. They moved to Chicago, though, and there’s not many of them left.”
Sisters-in-law LouAnna Canelle and Frances Temperano assumed the duties of keeping the church tidy and maintained after the previous caretaker, Mitzi Roppollo, moved out of town. The ladies hold a raffle and bake sale after the service, with proceeds supporting the church’s upkeep throughout the year. This year’s Mass begins promptly at 9 am on the chapel’s front lawn. The church is located on Highway 405 River Road, just north of Bayou Goula, a tiny town with a long Catholic history beginning with the missionary efforts of Father Paul Du Ru, who built the first chapel in Louisiana near here in 1700 and held the first recorded Mass.
“Several hundred people come out here under the trees,” said Aucoin, who bakes cakes and Italian cookies for the annual Mass. “It’s hot out here, but they still come out."
Throughout the rest of the year, travelers are invited to stop and take a closer look on the church grounds. Though the building itself is often locked, the key is kept in a small mailbox beside the door. A walk inside reveals a small kneeler and an altar adorned with statues of Christ and his mother. Gullo ordered the large Madonna statue, which predates the chapel, from Italy. On the wall hangs a framed sheet of paper detailing the chapel’s history, and votive candles are available for purchase.
A sense of peace emanates from the interior, which offers a quiet respite from the outside world. Shaded by large pine and oak trees, the heart of the chapel is surprisingly cool even on a scorching summer day. Visitors are encouraged to sign the guest book and linger as long as they wish, enjoying the haven built by Gullo in honor of the Blessed Mother’s help in his time of need.
