Precious Blood Catholic Church (Diocese of Arlington)

Precious Blood Catholic Church
Dedication:	Precious Blood of Jesus
Venerated Saints:	None specified
Diocese:	Diocese of Arlington
Deanery:	Deanery 5
Address:	45 Washington Street, Culpeper, VA 22701
Coordinates:	38.4736, -77.9964
City:	Culpeper, VA
Subdivision:	Virginia
Country:	United States
County:	Culpeper County
Website:	https://preciousbloodcatholicchurch.com/
Founded:	1946
School:	Yes
Email:	office@preciousbloodcatholicchurch.com

Precious Blood Catholic Church is a territorial parish in the Diocese of Arlington, located in Culpeper, Virginia. Dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus—the blood shed by Christ in His Passion and present in the Eucharist as the price of redemption—the parish serves Catholics in Culpeper, Madison, and Rappahannock Counties. It emphasizes evangelization, catechesis, liturgical celebration of the Paschal Mystery, and service to the community, particularly through outreach to Hispanic families.

The parish traces its origins to Catholic services in Culpeper beginning in 1868, becoming a mission in 1880 and elevated to independent parish status in 1946 under Missionhurst (CICM) priests. A building program in the 1980s added a parish hall (1981), new church (1983), and rectory (1991). The parish hosted Epiphany Catholic School from 1997 until its relocation in 2015. As of December 19, 2025, Precious Blood offers Masses in English and Spanish, reflecting its multicultural growth.

The parish community strives to live the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20) through proclamation of the Gospel, faith formation, liturgy, and charitable works.

History

Catholic services in Culpeper date to 1868. In 1879, Fr. Patrick Donahue of St. John's Parish in Warrenton purchased the church site. The cornerstone was laid in 1880, and from 1880 to 1946, Precious Blood served as a mission of parishes in Warrenton, Manassas, and Charlottesville.

In 1946, the church became an independent parish under Missionhurst (CICM) priests, beginning with Fr. Maurice du Castillon, serving Culpeper, Madison, and Rappahannock Counties with missions in Orange and Gordonsville.

Under Fr. Leo Zonneveld, CICM (1979–2012), a three-phase building program completed the parish hall (1981), church (1983), and rectory/office (1991). Precious Blood Preschool opened in 1981, and the parish hosted Epiphany Catholic School (1997–2015), the first Catholic school in the four-county area.

Spanish Masses began in 2000 to serve the growing Hispanic population. Missionhurst presence ended in 2016 with the appointment of diocesan clergy: Fr. Kevin Walsh (pastor) and successive parochial vicars.

Special features

• Multicultural community with Masses in English and Spanish
• Historical role in establishing Catholic education in the region through Epiphany Catholic School (1997–2015)
• Commitment to service reflecting the redemptive meaning of the Precious Blood

Relics

According to established Catholic tradition, the main altar contains deposited relics, as is customary in dedicated churches. Specific details regarding the saints associated with these relics are not publicly documented in available sources. This follows common practice where first-class relics, often of martyrs, are sealed within the altar.

Architecture

The current church, completed in 1983, reflects late twentieth-century design with adjacent parish hall (1981) and rectory (1991).

Art and devotional features

Specific details on stained glass windows, statues, sculptures, or other interior artwork are limited in publicly available sources. Devotional focus centers on the Precious Blood of Jesus.