I Thought It Was a BBQ Pit. I Was Wrong.
April 25, 2025
Source: Reddit
We were the second owners to live in our 1920s home when we moved in, newly built. The family ahead of us had lived here for almost 100 years. In the backyard, we discovered a beautiful Mary shrine, lovingly maintained by the previous owners.
In the backyard, there is this strange little brick thing right under some of the bushes. A thin concrete ribbon extends directly to it from the patio. It looks intentional. My first guess? Old BBQ pit.
I imagined a person in the 1950s who had wanted a little spot to cook out of doors. Seemed logical.
It’s Not a Grill
There’s no soot. No fire damage. No grate or ash remains. Nothing but a clean concrete slab with a hole at the center.
I knelt down and tilted my head and tried to make it make sense. A grill didn’t add up. Fire and concrete don’t get along. There was no blackening, no scorched marker crumbs — nothing.
Someone Said: “It Was Maybe for a Statue of Mary”
That was it.
A backyard Mary shrine. The kind you saw in old Catholic homes, where faith mixed into the daily routine.
Suddenly the building clicked — the way, the form, the dimensions. That hole in the center? Likely to secure a statue.
Every Detail Fits
Tucked near the greenery. A paved road winding directly to it. And the height — just right for a standing figure.
It wasn’t decorative for decoration’s sake. It was functional, spiritual. A place for quiet reflection.
The Family Wasn’t Flashy, but This Counted for Something
The previous owners were simple livers. The yard was minimalist, the house utilitarian. But this? It had purpose.
I imagine that there is someone out there that walks out there every day, a rosary, and is standing in front of that statue. No fanfare. Just consistency. Faith grounded in routine.
What Do I Do With It Now?
Leave it alone? Clean it up?
I partly want to rebuild it. “Maybe a new Mary statue in the old spot. Add flowers. A candle. Respect what it was and what you had, and continue forward.
Not because I’m trying to prove something about the past — but because once upon a time, someone constructed it with care. That care is still there.
Backyard Mary Shrines Tell Quiet History
They were never meant to be impressive. They were designed to signify.
And when you happen upon one, nestled behind some shrubs, and getting to it requires walking along a concrete path as though you’re being allowed to discover it as a secret, you realize that a story can be found even in the smallest of corners in a yard.