Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in the 2004 film "The Passion of Christ" attends the service for Mother Mary Angelica at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Editor’s note: Today The Times begins its countdown of the top 10 local stories of 2016. 

The death of Mother Angelica in March brought national and world attention to Cullman County as mourners poured into the area to remember the founder of Eternal Word Television Network.

Although she had been in failing health for years from a stroke, Mother Angelica lived to the age of 92. During her lifetime she was an avid leader in the Catholic faith and after traveling to Columbia in 1995 was inspired to build the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament and establish Our Lady of Angels Monastery on 400 acres near Hanceville.

During her years in Cullman County, she quietly became known as a kind and charitable figure, helping local schools and other organizations with various needs. All the time she was leading EWTN’s expanding reach into a global media power, bringing Christian prayer and teachings to millions of people around the world. EWTN is widely recognized as one of the largest and most influential religious media operations in the world.

EWTN transmits programs 24 hours a day to more than 230 million homes in 144 countries via cable and other technologies. It broadcasts in English and several other languages.

The Shrine, both church and monastery, are modeled on the Italian churches of the 13th century, the time period that experienced the birth of the Franciscan charism. The piazza through, which visitors walk before entering the sanctuary, is a based on Italian architecture. 

The interior of the Shrine was designed to be a psalm of praise to the glory of God. In Mother Angelica’s vision, the entire setting of the Shrine was designed to welcome visitors and inspire them to reverence as they came to worship.

Materials from around the world were used to build the structures and create the religious significance throughout.

On March 29, Mother Angelica’s funeral law enforcement traffic control from Interstate 65 to the monastery as people arrived from various destinations to honor her memory.