deteriorated. Its copper had turned a greenish hue due to overexposure to the elements (a similar chemical effect as seen on the Statue of Liberty) and was no longer weather tight. A new copper roof was installed. In 2001, a celebration of the National Shrine's Diamond Jubilee and basilica's 75 years in the making was held at the Our Lady of Victory Parish. On May 26, a special Mass was followed by a dinner party, at which hundreds of dignitaries, clergy members, and friends came together to celebrate the basilica and Father Baker's legacy. Relics of Father Baker In July 1998, through the efforts of Bishop Henry J. Mansell, it was announced that the remains of Father Baker would be relocated from nearby Holy Cross Cemetery and reinterred in the basilica. The move was ordered by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, to signify a step toward declaring Baker a saint. On March 11, 1999, Father Baker's casket was carried by six men who were raised by Baker, and placed in a sarcophagus within the Grotto Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes, found on the southern end of the basilica's transept. It is estimated that nearly 6,000 people attended the event at the basilica that day to honor Baker and his work. The re-interment helped raise awareness of Baker, his mission, and his legacy across the world. On January 14, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI declared Fr. Baker "venerable". Architecture Exterior The design of the exterior of the basilica was the work of French ecclesiastical architect Emile Ulrich. To fulfill Father Baker's wish for the finest materials and workmanship, Ulrich halted all other projects from his architectural firm in Cleveland and spent his time personally inspecting artists' work both in the United States and Europe. The majority of the exterior of the shrine is constructed almost entirely of pure white marble, supplied by the Georgia Marble Company of Tate, Georgia. Throughout the basilica's interior and parts of the exterior, a combination of more than 40 different types, colors, and designs of Italian marble can also be found. Great dome A prominent feature of the basilica's exterior is the large copper dome. The dome, measuring 165 feet in height, was second in size only to the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. at the time of its completion in 1926. Over the years, the dome's original copper has aged